Jail terms for House invaders

Five members of a drug protest group who invaded the Territory Parliament last year were sentenced yesterday to actual jail terms of four and five months.

Head sentences imposed by Magistrate Dick Wallace ranged from 21 months to 16 months - not far short of the maximum under the Criminal Code of two years.

Yesterday he sentenced NAP leading light Gary Meyerhoff, 28, and Robert Inder-Smith, 43, both on bail at the time for another offence, each to 21 months' jail, suspended after five months.

He sentenced Stuart Highway, 40, and Emma Birkeland-Corro, 23, to 18 months' jail, also suspended after five months.

He sentenced Michael Lambe, 45, who he said had not been so involved in the planning, to 16 months' jail, suspended after four months.

Late yesterday after the five lodged appeals against conviction and four against sentence, Mr Wallace granted each self-bail of $2000.

Mr Wallace said the appeal could take at least three or four months to come before a Supreme Court judge and he believed the five would remain in the Territory to prosecute their appeal.

The main objection to bail was the risk of reoffending.

The magistrate warned them: ``Any suggestion of any of you breaking the law, I promise you your bail will be revoked and you will be serving your sentence.

``If you continue to pursue your political objectives I can only advise you to be as circumspect as possible.''

After signing their bail forms the five left Darwin Magistrates Court after spending about 5 1/2 hours in the cells there.

The five had pleaded not guilty to disturbing the Legislative Assembly in session on May 14, 2002. The hearing spanned 13 days and involved several politicians called as witnesses by the group known as the Network Against Prohibition (NAP).

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org
Pubdate: 06 June 2003
Source: Northern Territory News (Australia)
Author: Bob Watt
Copyright: 2003 Northern Territory News
Contact: ntnmail@ntn.newsltd.com.au
Website: http://ntnews.news.com.au/