Steve Carter, the Queensland prosecutor who called the gang rape of a 10-year-old Aboriginal girl “childish experimentation” and didn’t recommend jail time for the rapists, has finally resigned.
Former Tasmanian police officer Steve Carter was hired as a Crown prosecutor in Cairns in 2000 but demoted to legal officer 18 months ago over unspecified work issues.
Last month The Australian revealed Mr Carter had not pursued jail terms for nine males who gang-raped the girl at Aurukun in 2005, prompting Director of Public Prosecutions Leanne Clare to launch an internal investigation.
Not being a member of the Queensland Law Society nor the Queensland Bar Association, Mr Carter had no one to defend him against the international outrage, unlike District Court judge Sarah Bradley, who received support from various quarters.
Mr Carter, whose daughter was upset by the public reaction, denied he was the “the fall guy” but claimed the full story had yet to emerge.
He suggested the girl, who had been abused as a child and let down by the Department of Child Safety, was highly sexualised and consented to sex “in a non-legal way” in exchange for alcohol and cigarettes.
Mr Carter was stood down on full pay and asked to show cause why he should not be disciplined. He had until January 14 to respond but yesterday morning tendered his resignation, effective at the end of the day.
Acting Attorney-General John Mickel yesterday said the review of cases involving sexual offences on Cape York over the past two years would continue.
Mr Mickel said barrister Steve Davis was due to report by February 11, while an appeal against the sentences handed to the nine offenders was expected to be heard early next month.
It’s something, I suppose. I’m still quite certain that he should have been fired within a couple of days of this story breaking. That he wasn’t must leave someone working for the government with a lot of explaining to do.
As for who the hell defended Judge Bradley, I’m not sure. And I’m too weary to look it up. But her head ought to roll, too. There’s absolutely no excuse for this kind of conduct. What fuck is the “whole story” that Carter’s daughter claims has not yet emerged, I obviously don’t know. But I’m sure that whatever it is, it will be incredibly depressing and remind me that I yet again accidentally managed to reacquire some faith in humanity by the way that I’ll be forced to lose it.
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Just a note because I’ve seen the misspledding more than once: it’s “lauredhel”. Cheers.
Indeed it is. Apologies.
Mr Carter, whose daughter was upset by the public reaction, denied he was the “the fall guy” but claimed the full story had yet to emerge.
I parse this as Mr Carter’s daughter was upset by the public reaction + Mr Carter denied he was the “the fall guy” but claimed the full story had yet to emerge. I have no clue why the journalist felt Mr Carter’s daughter emotional state was relevant to the story.
I’m glad he resigned; I don’t know what he was thinking, but obviously he doesn’t understand the job of a prosecutor.
“Experimentation”? This is disgusting beyond words. To think that such people shape the practice of “justice” — the quotation marks must stay.
He resigned? I don’t know what the procedures are, but I’d imagine he should be removed from his position by some sort of an ethics committee.
What an awful story. I am so sick of humanity’s inability to come to the realization that there is never any excuse for rape. Period.
Disbarrment is definitely the most appropriate action for this Australian rape-apologist prosecutor. And I hope that his native providence will disbar him.
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