Prominent Adelaide barrister Bill Boucaut QC appointed to Parole Board
Adelaide barrister Bill Boucaut QC – who has been both a prosecutor and defence counsel in his illustrious career – is the new deputy presiding member of SA’s Parole Board.
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One of South Australia’s most prominent and experienced barristers has been appointed deputy presiding member of the Parole Board.
During his 47-year career, veteran legal practitioner Bill Boucaut QC has been both a prosecutor and successful defence barrister – representing the accused in some of SA’s highest-profile criminal cases.
Among those he has successfully defended are terror suspect Zainab Abdirahman-Khalif, a juvenile acquitted of murdering Carly Ryan, and Francis “Frankie’’ Marshall, who was acquitted of murdering her lover Bernadette Liston.
He also represented Salt Creek kidnapper Roman Heinze, who was convicted of assault and kidnapping of two backpackers at Salt Creek in 2016.
Mr Boucaut, 68, said he viewed the work of the Parole Board as “very interesting and certainly very different’’ and he looked forward to a new challenge.
He said the Parole Board was an “important part of the legal system”.
“You have to proceed on the basis people who are sentenced to jail are not all the same and some have not had the best of breaks in life,’’ he said.
“Jail time can in fact turn them around. People have to at least be given a chance to get back into society with appropriate measures in place that help them re-engage with the community, but at the same time subject to some pretty strict rules.
“I think the big challenge is working out if someone is a big risk to the community or not, that is the ever-present worry in this.’’
Mr Boucaut replaces barrister Lindy Powell QC, who resigned because of professional commitments. He has already attended one Parole Board meeting which was held using video conferencing because of COVID-19 restrictions.
“I am yet to chair a meeting and I am still in the induction phase, I need to attend a few more meetings before they let me loose,’’ he said jokingly.
“It was interesting, it was not too different to what I expected.’’
Mr Boucaut practised as a solicitor for five years before joining the then Crown Prosecutors Office under Kevin Duggan in 1978, where he prosecuted matters in lower and higher courts for five years.
He then worked in Hong Kong for nine years in the Attorney-General’s chambers, before returning to Adelaide in 1991 and joining the independent bar. He took silk in 2010 and is widely recognised for taking on lengthy, complex Legal Aid matters.
Mr Boucaut is perhaps best known for his meticulous cross-examination of witnesses and powerful closing addresses in cases he defends.
“I like to think my experience enables eyes from both sides of the fence,’’ he said.
“You have got to have a sound legal knowledge to do that sort of a job.’’
Parole Board chair Frances Nelson QC said she was delighted Mr Boucaut had agreed to take on the role.
“He has had a stellar career and brings a wealth of experience to the Parole Board,’’ she said.