Letter to ACT Attorney General re Ex Gratia Payment

Here are some notes you can use giving details of the case but please use your own words to urge the Attorney General to take action over this matter.

You should seek ex gratia payment for substantial legal costs incurred by the victim’s parents in defending their son against a five-year, malicious campaign based on false rape and domestic violence accusations and aided by corrupt police and inappropriate legal action by the ACT DPP.

Send letters to:
Attorney General
Gordon Ramsay MLA
Address: GPO Box 1020,
Canberra, ACT 2601

Email: ramsay@act.gov.au
Phone: (02) 6205 2615

Note – governments only ever award ex gratia payments in relation to legal costs, not other damages.

The case was Police V Sarah Jane Parkinson – AFP Reference; 5612090
(Case numbers: CC15/05648, CC15/01912, CC15/01911, CC15/01910 & CC14/10865)

The victim, Dan, was wrongfully imprisoned for 4 months in Goulburn jail following false rape and domestic violence accusations, an incompetent and flawed investigation by the Australian Federal Police, which was then viciously prosecuted by the ACT DPP.

The DPP pursued 32 false charges relating to the case to the ACT Supreme Court despite the lack of any evidence – physical, medical nor forensic.

The DPP continued to prosecute the flawed case even after being told by Justice Refshauge that the DPP’s case was in serious jeopardy. The charges were finally dropped in December 2015 and January 2016.

The prolonged accusations against a totally innocent man and his family have cost Dan his freedom, job, career, reputation and house. They resulted in the family paying in excess of $350,000 in legal expenses incurred in relation to court action in the ACT Family Circuit Court, The ACT Supreme Court and the ACT Magistrates Court.

Parkinson was found guilty of causing public mischief and making false accusations, but on appeal a judge acquitted her of one of the false accusation charges and ordered another hearing on the other. That hearing was due to take place in the ACT Magistrates Court this week but instead the woman pleaded guilty in November 2018.

The case was listed to return on January 17 for sentence. (Police V Sarah Jane Parkinson listed in the ACT Magistrates Court on the 17th of January 2019).

Parkinson was sentenced to a total of 3 years and 1 month on the charges with a non-parole period of 2 years.

In sentencing, Magistrate Beth Campbell said the case “exploited” the seriousness to which claims of domestic violence and rape are treated.

“The administration of justice in the territory has been significantly damaged by the offender’s conduct,” Ms Campbell said. She told the victim’s family that their complaints of the failings of the legal system had not fallen on deaf ears; they had been a sobering reminder of the responsibilities of all involved.


Below is a list of some of the press coverage of the case:

  1. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/prison-guard-allegedly-bashed-threatened-to-kill-exgirlfriend-20140506-zr5l7.html
  2. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/infamous-cases-murder-and-drugs-mark-2014-in-act-courts-20141231-12g1s9.html
  3. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/prison-officer-facing-rape-allegations-freed-following-suspicions-about-his-accuser-20140730-zy8yg.html
  4. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/botched-rape-case-against-act-prison-guard-dropped-after-four-months-in-jail-20141123-11rb83.html
  5. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/prison-guard-speaks-out-about-four-months-in-solitary-on-bogus-rape-charge-20141201-11tcyt.html
  6. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/last-charges-against-wrongly-accused-prison-guard-dropped-20141215-127cez.html
  7. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/woman-demanded-home-then-falsely-alleged-rape-prosecution-says-20150720-gig9yv.html
  8. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/mother-admits-she-fabricated-evidence-to-police-in-alleged-false-rape-case-20150721-gih52k.htm
  9. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/dont-fing-touch-anything-frictions-between-police-emerge-in-alleged-false-rape-case-20150722-gihv4t.html
  10. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/former-prison-guard-tells-court-he-is-here-for-justice-20150723-giiuds.html
  11. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/father-of-prison-guard-tells-court-cops-out-to-get-son-in-trial-over-alleged-false-rape-claim-20150724-gijkww.html
  12. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/thoroughly-absurd-and-ridiculous–womans-rape-claims-attacked-by-prosecution-20150728-gim3eo
  13. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/former-nsw-police-worker-guilty-of-false-rape-claims-against-prison-guard-exboyfriend-20150826-gj80f6.htm
  14. https://www.hightail.com/download/bXBZN3RkRkVUME9wSHNUQw
  15. http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2015/s4313810.htm
  16. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/former-nsw-police-worker-appeals-in-false-rape-accusation-case-20150925-gjurze
  17. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/woman-who-falsely-accused-prison-guard-of-rape-allowed-to-appeal-court-20160415-go7q8g.html
  18. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/police-to-keep-details-on-botched-rape-investigation-secret-20160525-gp38u4.html
  19. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/wrongly-imprisoned-prison-guard-says-police-in-damage-control-20160526-gp4cwd.html
  20. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/ombudsman-launches-probe-into-flawed-rape-investigation-20161109-gslfam.html
  21. https://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/act/woman-pleads-guilty-to-making-false-rape-allegation-against-ex-partner-20181106-p50edw.html
  22. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-06/canberra-woman-admits-to-falsifying-rape-claim/10470888
  23. https://amp.smh.com.au/national/act/woman-pleads-guilty-to-making-false-rape-allegation-against-ex-partner-20181106-p50edw.html
  24. https://meaww.com/fake-crime-scene-plants-condom-wrapper-falsely-accuse-ex-boyfriend-rape-27135
  25. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-17/canberra-woman-jailed-for-false-rape-claim/10723908
  26. https://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/act/how-fake-allegations-landed-an-innocent-man-in-jail-20190117-p50s0c.html
  27. https://youtu.be/l0KEUs0Lwf8
  28. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-23/nsw-police-officers-under-investigation/7957874