Magistrate Richard Pithouse charged over Spotswood crash
CONTROVERSIAL magistrate Richard Pithouse, who once said a female family violence victim wanted to be beaten up, is facing criminal charges for driving offences.
Law & Order
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CONTROVERSIAL magistrate Richard Pithouse has been charged with leaving the scene of an accident.
Mr Pithouse, who shocked those in his court by last year saying a female family violence victim wanted to be beaten up, also allegedly failed to report the September crash in Spotswood to police.
Victoria Police charged the former Hamilton solicitor on Tuesday with failing to immediately stop his motor vehicle after an accident where property was damaged and failing to give full particulars of the accident at the police station most accessible from the scene of the accident.
Chief Magistrate Judge Peter Lauritsen confirmed the charges in a statement and said Mr Pithouse would not be stood down.
“I do not intend to stand down the magistrate as the charges are untested,” Mr Lauritsen said.
“The magistrate is entitled, as is every other member of the community, to the presumption of innocence.
“I will be assigning Mr Pithouse to the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.
“He will not hear any traffic or other criminal cases until the charges are determined.”
Mr Pithouse, who was appointed as a magistrate in 2008, will face the charges in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on March 28.
“I have asked the Attorney-General to seek the appointment of an interstate magistrate as a reserve magistrate to determine these charges,” Mr Lauritsen said.
The Herald Sun told last month how Mr Pithouse openly criticised a terrified victim for not swearing statements against her alleged attacker.
He did so despite police telling him she was in fear of her former partner.
“Well, it’s her right to be beaten up if she wants to I suppose,” Mr Pithouse said during the alleged offender’s bail application.
Police in Werribee Magistrates’ Court were stunned when Mr Pithouse ignored their application to keep the victim’s former partner in custody and instead criticised her for not making statements to police about his alleged violent attacks on her.