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'''Terence Murray "Terry" Lewis''' (born 29 February 1928) is a former [[Queensland]], [[Australia]] police commissioner who was convicted and jailed for corruption as a result of the [[Fitzgerald Inquiry]]. He was stripped of his knighthood and other honours and awards in consequence.
'''Terence Murray "Terry" Lewis''' (born 29 February 1928) is a former [[Queensland]], [[Australia]] police commissioner who was convicted and jailed for corruption and forgery as a result of the [[Fitzgerald Inquiry]]. He was stripped of his knighthood and other honours and awards in consequence.<ref>{{cite news|first=Evan|last=Whitton|authorlink=Evan Whitton|title=When the Sunshine State set up a scoundrel trap|url=http://theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21714244-28737,00.html|work=[[The Australian]]|date=2007-05-12|accessdate=2007-05-14}}</ref>


Lewis has continued to protest his innocence, and sued his former lawyers and pursued appeals.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/lawrpt/stories/s1218102.htm The Law Report: 12 October 2004 - Justice Queensland Style; Majority Jury Verdicts]</ref> However his appeals failed in August 2005.<ref>[http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/sinodisp/au/cases/qld/QCA/2005/316.html AustLII 26 August 2005]</ref>

==History==
In 1976 Lewis was promoted from obscurity to the rank of Assistant Police Commissioner to [[Ray Whitrod]]. Whitrod refused to work with Lewis, and resigned in protest when the Premier [[Joh Bjelke-Petersen]] insisted on Lewis's appointment. Lewis became Police Commissioner from 1978 to 1987 and received a [[knight]]hood, before being dismissed by police minister [[Bill Gunn (politician)|Bill Gunn]] in September 1987. He was a close associate<ref>[http://www.australianbiography.gov.au/whitrod/interview8.html Ray Whitrod - Interview Transcript tape 8]</ref> of the corrupt former Police Commissioner [[Francis Bischof]] and as a senior constable was in charge of the [[Juvenile Aid Bureau]].<ref>[http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A130221b.htm Frank Bischof, Australian Dictionary of Biography Online entry]</ref>
In 1976 Lewis was promoted from obscurity to the rank of Assistant Police Commissioner to [[Ray Whitrod]]. Whitrod refused to work with Lewis, and resigned in protest when the Premier [[Joh Bjelke-Petersen]] insisted on Lewis's appointment. Lewis became Police Commissioner from 1978 to 1987 and received a [[knight]]hood, before being dismissed by police minister [[Bill Gunn (politician)|Bill Gunn]] in September 1987. He was a close associate<ref>[http://www.australianbiography.gov.au/whitrod/interview8.html Ray Whitrod - Interview Transcript tape 8]</ref> of the corrupt former Police Commissioner [[Francis Bischof]] and as a senior constable was in charge of the [[Juvenile Aid Bureau]].<ref>[http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A130221b.htm Frank Bischof, Australian Dictionary of Biography Online entry]</ref>


Assistant Commissioner Graeme Parker later confessed to corruption and implicated Lewis on 16 September 1987.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21714244-28737,00.html?from=public_rss }} {{Dead link|date=May 2011|bot=RjwilmsiBot}}</ref> Lewis was charged with 23 counts of [[perjury]], corruption, and [[forgery]] in 1989 when the inquiry ended.<ref>http://www.cmc.qld.gov.au/data/portal/00000005/content/81350001131406907822.pdf</ref> After hearing evidence over five months, and having deliberated for five days, a District Court jury found that Lewis had not lied to the [[Fitzgerald Inquiry]], but that he had accepted [[bribery|bribes]] totaling $700,000 to protect [[brothel]]s, SP [[bookmaker]]s, illegal [[casino]]s, in-line machine operators and to prevent [[Slot machine|poker machines]] being legally introduced in Queensland<ref>http://www.brisinst.org.au/resources/dickie_phil_prostitution.html</ref> and had also forged Sir [[Joh Bjelke-Petersen]]'s signature on an official police document in 1981.
Assistant Commissioner Graeme Parker later confessed to corruption and implicated Lewis on 16 September 1987.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21714244-28737,00.html?from=public_rss }} {{Dead link|date=May 2011|bot=RjwilmsiBot}}</ref> Lewis was charged with 23 counts of [[perjury]], corruption, and [[forgery]] in 1989 when the inquiry ended.<ref>http://www.cmc.qld.gov.au/data/portal/00000005/content/81350001131406907822.pdf</ref> After hearing evidence over five months, and having deliberated for five days, a District Court jury found that Lewis had not lied to the [[Fitzgerald Inquiry]], but that he had accepted [[bribery|bribes]] totaling $700,000 to protect [[brothel]]s, SP [[bookmaker]]s, illegal [[casino]]s, in-line machine operators and to prevent [[Slot machine|poker machines]] being legally introduced in Queensland<ref>http://www.brisinst.org.au/resources/dickie_phil_prostitution.html</ref> and had also forged Sir [[Joh Bjelke-Petersen]]'s signature on an official police document in 1981.


==Jail==
Judge Healy sentenced Lewis to the maximum jail term possible - 14 years on the 15 corruption charges and 10 years on the forgery charge - to be served concurrently, fixed a non-parole period of 9½ years, and fined Lewis $50,000 on each of the corruption charges. Lewis was paroled in 2002 after serving 10½ years. He has continued to protest his innocence, and sued his former lawyers and pursued further appeals.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/lawrpt/stories/s1218102.htm The Law Report: 12 October 2004 - Justice Queensland Style; Majority Jury Verdicts]</ref> However his appeals failed in August 2005.<ref>[http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/sinodisp/au/cases/qld/QCA/2005/316.html AustLII 26 August 2005]</ref>
Judge Healy sentenced Lewis to the maximum jail term possible - 14 years on the 15 corruption charges and 10 years on the forgery charge - to be served concurrently, fixed a non-parole period of 9½ years, and fined Lewis $50,000 on each of the corruption charges. Lewis was paroled in 2002 after serving 10½ years. He has continued to protest his innocence, and sued his former lawyers and pursued further appeals.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/lawrpt/stories/s1218102.htm The Law Report: 12 October 2004 - Justice Queensland Style; Majority Jury Verdicts]</ref> However his appeals failed in August 2005.<ref>[http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/sinodisp/au/cases/qld/QCA/2005/316.html AustLII 26 August 2005]</ref>


Revision as of 09:35, 28 May 2012

Terence Murray "Terry" Lewis
Born29 February 1928 (1928-02-29)
Criminal statusreleased
Conviction(s)16 counts of corruption and forgery
Criminal penalty10½ years

Terence Murray "Terry" Lewis (born 29 February 1928) is a former Queensland, Australia police commissioner who was convicted and jailed for corruption and forgery as a result of the Fitzgerald Inquiry. He was stripped of his knighthood and other honours and awards in consequence.[1]

Lewis has continued to protest his innocence, and sued his former lawyers and pursued appeals.[2] However his appeals failed in August 2005.[3]

History

In 1976 Lewis was promoted from obscurity to the rank of Assistant Police Commissioner to Ray Whitrod. Whitrod refused to work with Lewis, and resigned in protest when the Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen insisted on Lewis's appointment. Lewis became Police Commissioner from 1978 to 1987 and received a knighthood, before being dismissed by police minister Bill Gunn in September 1987. He was a close associate[4] of the corrupt former Police Commissioner Francis Bischof and as a senior constable was in charge of the Juvenile Aid Bureau.[5]

Assistant Commissioner Graeme Parker later confessed to corruption and implicated Lewis on 16 September 1987.[6] Lewis was charged with 23 counts of perjury, corruption, and forgery in 1989 when the inquiry ended.[7] After hearing evidence over five months, and having deliberated for five days, a District Court jury found that Lewis had not lied to the Fitzgerald Inquiry, but that he had accepted bribes totaling $700,000 to protect brothels, SP bookmakers, illegal casinos, in-line machine operators and to prevent poker machines being legally introduced in Queensland[8] and had also forged Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen's signature on an official police document in 1981.

Jail

Judge Healy sentenced Lewis to the maximum jail term possible - 14 years on the 15 corruption charges and 10 years on the forgery charge - to be served concurrently, fixed a non-parole period of 9½ years, and fined Lewis $50,000 on each of the corruption charges. Lewis was paroled in 2002 after serving 10½ years. He has continued to protest his innocence, and sued his former lawyers and pursued further appeals.[9] However his appeals failed in August 2005.[10]

Awards and honours

Lewis received the following honours:

  • George Medal (GM) on 10 May 1960 for his apprehension of an armed man, when a Senior Detective Constable, along with three other police officers. Of the other officers Detective Constable 1st Class Glen Patrick Hallahan was also awarded the GM, while Constables Kevin John Morris and James Kevin Shearer were awarded the gallantry version of the British Empire Medal. The constables had initially attended an incident where a woman had reported that her husband was armed with a rifle, and was threatening to kill both her, and himself. The two detectives arrived later, and attempted to disarm the man, during which the gun was fired, with a shot passing between Hallahan's legs, they eventually managed to subdue the man.[11][12]

On 26 March 1993 he was stripped of all honours and titles by a notice in the Queensland Gazette of that date, No. 69, page 1543. Lewis became only the 14th person since the 14th century to be stripped of his knighthood.[21]

Further reading

  • Whitton, Evan (1989). The hillbilly dictator: Australia's police state. Sydney: ABC Enterprises. ISBN 0-642-12809-X.

References

  1. ^ Whitton, Evan (12 May 2007). "When the Sunshine State set up a scoundrel trap". The Australian. Retrieved 14 May 2007.
  2. ^ The Law Report: 12 October 2004 - Justice Queensland Style; Majority Jury Verdicts
  3. ^ AustLII 26 August 2005
  4. ^ Ray Whitrod - Interview Transcript tape 8
  5. ^ Frank Bischof, Australian Dictionary of Biography Online entry
  6. ^ http://theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21714244-28737,00.html?from=public_rss. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help) [dead link]
  7. ^ http://www.cmc.qld.gov.au/data/portal/00000005/content/81350001131406907822.pdf
  8. ^ http://www.brisinst.org.au/resources/dickie_phil_prostitution.html
  9. ^ The Law Report: 12 October 2004 - Justice Queensland Style; Majority Jury Verdicts
  10. ^ AustLII 26 August 2005
  11. ^ "No. 42029". The London Gazette (invalid |supp= (help)). 6 May 1960.
  12. ^ "Terry Lewis GM". Australian Honours Database. Retrieved 2 May 2007.
  13. ^ Winston Churchill Memorial Trust
  14. ^ "No. 47234". The London Gazette (invalid |supp= (help)). 10 June 1977.
  15. ^ "Terry Lewis QPM". Australian Honours Database. Retrieved 2 May 2007.
  16. ^ "No. 47869". The London Gazette (invalid |supp= (help)). 15 June 1979.
  17. ^ "Terry Lewis OBE". Australian Honours Database. Retrieved 2 May 2007.
  18. ^ "Terry Lewis". Australian Honours Database. Retrieved 2 May 2007.
  19. ^ "No. 50361". The London Gazette (invalid |supp= (help)). 30 December 1985.
  20. ^ "Sir Terry Lewis". Australian Honours Database. Retrieved 2 May 2007.
  21. ^ Whitton, Evan (12 May 2007). "When the Sunshine State set up a scoundrel trap". The Australian. Retrieved 14 May 2007.

Other sources

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