Mother hails backdating of double jeopardy reforms

THE mother of murdered child Deidre Kennedy is elated at moves by the Queensland government to change its double jeopardy laws.

Faye Kennedy, mother of child murder victim Deidre Kennedy. Picture: Drew Fitzgibbon

THE mother of murdered child Deidre Kennedy last night said she was elated at moves by the Queensland government to change its double jeopardy laws that could lead to the retrial of her daughter’s suspected killer.

Faye Kennedy praised the decision of the Newman government to extend 2006 changes to the laws, making them retrospective and paving the way for the retrial of a man twice convicted of the murder of her then 16-month-old child in 1973.

“’I was absolutely elated when I found out, it has been a long time coming and very hard,’’ Ms Kennedy said.

The Attorney-General, Jarrod Bleijie, yesterday said he would introduce amendments in parliament next week that would extend changes to double jeopardy laws brought in under the former Beattie government.

In 2006, Queensland overturned its double jeopardy laws that had barred people from being retried on the same offence. The changes were not made retrospective, meaning it did not apply to any acquittals before ­October 18, 2007.

“This is about rebalancing the scales of justice and putting victims first,” Mr Bleijie said.

“We are the only jurisdiction in Australia that didn’t apply a retrospective nature in 2007.

“Which means if someone was acquitted 30, 40, 50, 60 years ago for an offence that now with technological advances and DNA testing would beyond reasonable doubt prove they did commit the crime, there was no way to hold that person accountable for their actions many years ago.”

Toddler Deidre was abducted and murdered in 1973.

The 17-month-old had been beaten, sexually assaulted, dressed in women’s underwear and bitten on the thigh before being tossed on to the roof of a toilet block in a park in Ipswich, west of Brisbane.

Raymond John Carroll, a fitter and turner was found guilty by jury verdict in separate trials for murder and perjury, only to have each conviction overturned on appeal.