Supreme Court judge Anne Bampton’s drink-driving offence fits in the “fatal five” category that requires additional penalties for serving police, the state’s top cop said today.
Police Commissioner Gary Burns said that police who commit a “fatal five” offence are subject to additional disciplinary actions on top of the normal court penalties.
The fatal five includes offences relating to speeding, drink and drug driving, failure to wear a seatbelt, driving while fatigued, and distraction and inattention.
Justice Bampton recorded a blood-alcohol reading of 0.12 per cent after a road accident in the early hours of Sunday morning.
A female cyclist suffered minor injuries in the accident on Greenhill Road at Glenside.
Justice Bampton, who was due to be formally sworn in as a Supreme Court Justice today, received an immediate six-month driving licence suspension.
When asked for comment on the Bampton matter, the Police Commissioner referred to actions taken against serving police officers who receive additional penalties.
“Where it’s an offence that we consider to be one of the fatal five, we take additional action beyond the court action,” Commissioner Burns told ABC Radio today.
“After the court process of suspensions and fines, there is an additional internal disciplinary process.
“It considers the options of termination, transfer or an additional fine up to $1200.”
Burns said he would leave the issue of additional action to Chief Justice Chris Kourakis, a position backed earlier by Premier Jay Weatherill and Attorney-General John Rau.
Rau said yesterday he was “obviously very disappointed to learn of this issue”.
“I understand that the Chief Justice is giving consideration to a range of consequential matters. I am confident in the Chief Justice’s ability to handle this issue.”
Chief Justice Kourakis said that “for now”, Justice Bampton would not hear matters related to driving offences.
“I will give further consideration to the range of matters with which Justice Bampton will deal, and the period of time for which that will be the case, in due course.”
