Sometimes the judges get it right. I have been waiting with some interest for this verdict.

Briefly the case was as follows. The quote is from News.com.au

THE man who brutally bashed Sydney teenager Lauren Huxley has been jailed for at least 20 years.

Robert Black Farmer, 39, was found guilty last month in the NSW Supreme Court of attempting to murder Ms Huxley at her Northmead home in November 2005.

Then 18, the marketing student was bashed with a pair of metal fibrocutters and left for dead in a pool of petrol before Farmer set the house alight.

Ms Huxley suffered permanent brain damage and required extensive surgery as a result of the attack, including a facial reconstruction and repairs to her shattered skull.

This time it was Justice Peter Hall who decided to empathise with the victim instead of the defendant. There is a perception in the community that criminals get off very lightly which makes us cynical about the Law.

Another decision made today of which I also approve wholeheartedly is that of Chief Justice Paul de Jersey. It concerned the rape by 9 Aboriginal males of a ten year old Aboriginal girl. The original Judge, one Sarah Bradley, had given a non-custodial sentence to the rapists. Every Australian, apart from Bradley and the nine rapists, was outraged by her judgement.

After an appeal by the Queensland Attorney-General, the case was reviewed and de Jersey sentenced three men and two youths to jail.

The following is also from News.com.au

In today’s judgment, the state’s Chief Justice Paul de Jersey said Judge Bradley’s original sentence was so inadequate it amounted to a “miscarriage of justice”.

This is not the first time that I have approved of the Chief Justice’s verdict. We had personal experience when a legal firm was negligent in doing searches for our business and even admitted culpability. Unfortunately we had a weak barrister who has now become a judge. (dear me…) Anyhow, de Jersey, who presided over our case, was amazing and took control of it. He blasted the large firm of solicitors for not behaving properly and seemed quite disgusted by our effete barrister. Queensland’s Chief Justice was kind and very considerate to us and I have been a fan of his ever since.