Month: December 2005

Jorgia is Staying with Us :)

This weekend, we have the pleasure of the company of the lovely Jorgia for a few days, while her humans spend quality time together.

Here is a picture of Jorgia from our wedding – but her hair has grown, and she is nearly 2 years older now.

Jorgia at our wedding

Jorgia is the one on the right, Charlotte is in the middle.

Last night we saw the new Harry Potter movie, and I thought it was a bit scary. Mark has bruises on his thigh from being grabbed, but it was fun.

And in Knitting News

You can’t take a camera phone into the Downing Centre Courts, so I had to check my phone at the door. And my embroidery scissors, and a small pen knife I had. No big deal.

But after court I went to meet my father for lunch at the Supreme Court – he was there as the Executor of George’s will, lodging some paperwork. Mum and I were meeting dad at the restuarant on the 14th floor for lunch. I expected that they would take my phone, so I surrendered it, only to be told it was ok.

BUT THEY TOOK MY KNITTING !!!!!!!!!!!!

A Minor Win

Brendan McMahon’s application for his case to be considered under the Mental Health Act was denied today.

Judge Helen Symes found that while he met the criteria for consideration under section 32 of the act, she belived that the serious nature of the crime meant that the public interest would be best served by having the matter heard before the law.

McMahon has pleaded not guilty, and a date for a hearing will be set next thursday, the 23rd of December. The hearing will most likely take place in February or March of next year.

I must admit that I was not feeling hopeful that the courts would treat this matter with the serious consideration that I feel it deserves, and todays decision was somewhat of a relief. It is still very possible that he won’t receive a custodial sentence, but hearing the Magistrate use the words “protection of the public”, and “serious nature of the crime”, was a glimmer of hope in what has otherwise been a very bleak horizon.

Mental Health Hearing Tomorrow

He was locked up again for breaching bail. Apparently he moved house without informing the police.

He was due to go before a magistrate this afternoon, and I haven’t heard what happened, but he probably was released again.

Tomorrow is the mental health hearing. I expect that the judge will find that he was nuts when he broke the law, but perfectly sane now. He can’t go to prison because he was nuts, but he can’t go to hospital because he’s sane now.

I could be wrong, and he may get prison time, but it’s unlikely, and we need to be prepared for the worst.

Next Court Date

There will be a hearing under Section 32 of the Mental Health Act on the 16th of December.

The Sydney Morning Herald published a piece that referenced the psyche report that seemed ver sympathetic to McMahon, and I fear the courts will treat him similarly – after all, he only did it because he loves animals.