Vic govt joins Bayley appeal funding fight

Murderer and rapist Adrian Bayley faces a fight in his bid to get taxpayer funding for his appeal against his minimum 43-year jail term.

Convicted murderer and serial rapist Adrian Bayley has launched Supreme Court action for taxpayer-funded lawyers to appeal his sentence.

But the Victorian government and Victoria Legal Aid have joined forces in a bid to ensure VLA's refusal to fund his appeal stands.

Bayley was sentenced to a minimum non-parole period of 36 years for the rape and murder of Jill Meagher but that was extended to a minimum of 43 years after he was convicted of the rapes of three more women.

Bayley wants to appeal that sentence, claiming it is "manifestly excessive".

He also wants to challenge two of the rape convictions.

Bayley's bid for VLA funding to bankroll the appeals was refused in June.

An independent reviewer upheld the VLA's decision.

Bayley's legal team is challenging that determination, saying it is unreasonable and in breach of the Charter of Human Rights.

Attorney-General Martin Pakula on Wednesday said the government would join the court action, in support of decisions made by VLA and Mr Nixon.

"I think Legal Aid has made exactly the right call," he told reporters.


Share

1 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world