Statement regarding Graham Stafford

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Jarrod Bleijie will not proceed with an ex-officio indictment against Graham Stafford regarding the murder of Leanne Holland.

Graham Stafford was convicted of the 13-year-old’s murder in 1992 but the Court of Appeal set aside that conviction in 2009, after he had been released on parole. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions subsequently announced that it would not proceed with a new trial.

“I made this decision after careful and thorough considerations of all the circumstances,” Mr Bleijie said.

“The Director of Public Prosecutions, a retired Supreme Court Judge and a senior Queen’s Counsel reviewed all of the evidence and they all advised that a new trial would not be in the public interest. I must respect that advice.

“The relevant considerations included, but were not limited to, the age of the case and inevitable impact on the evidence, given that more than 20 years have passed since Leanne’s death, and the fact that Graham Stafford had served 15 years in prison.

“Leanne’s family has been informed and my thoughts are with them at this time.

“I will be making no further comment.”

[ENDS] 11 April 2014

Media Contact: Ashley McDermid 0412 731 355 or Jaime Wells 0409 624 139