This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/22/peter-slipper-sentencing-decision-over-dishonesty-conviction-adjourned

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Peter Slipper sentencing decision over dishonesty conviction adjourned Peter Slipper sentencing decision over dishonesty conviction adjourned
(about 2 hours later)
Peter Slipper must wait a few more days to find out if he will be jailed for dishonestly using taxpayer-funded travel entitlements. Former federal speaker Peter Slipper has become such a “pathetic character” since his fall from grace that a prison sentence would be inappropriate, his defence lawyer says.
Slipper was convicted in the ACT magistrates court in July after he used government travel entitlements to visit vineyards outside Canberra in 2010. Slipper must wait a little longer to find out if he will be jailed for dishonestly using government-issued taxi vouchers after chief magistrate Lorraine Walker adjourned the case until 1pm on Wednesday.
The former federal parliamentary speaker is appealing the conviction. The former Queensland MP was convicted by the ACT magistrate’s court in July after he used the vouchers to visit vineyards outside Canberra in 2010.
During several hours of final submissions on Monday, his defence lawyer, Kylie Weston-Scheuber, said her client had become a “pathetic character” since his fall from grace. He is appealing against the conviction.
The chief magistrate, Lorraine Walker, adjourned the case until 1pm on Wednesday. In a two-hour sentence hearing on Monday, the prosecution argued Slipper must be sent to prison, while his lawyer Kylie Weston-Scheuber argued he has already paid a high enough price due to his “well-publicised fall from grace”.
She said she needed to give the matter more careful consideration. Slipper is estranged from his wife, has lost his employment, his health, many friends and his good standing in the community, Weston-Scheuber said.
She added he had spent time in private mental facilities as a result of the court case.
“He has become somewhat of a pathetic, socially withdrawn character,” Weston-Scheuber told the court.
Slipper previously admitted using his government travel entitlements to visit the vineyards on three separate occasions in 2010, racking up $954 in expenses.
But he always denied he acted dishonestly.
Weston-Scheuber described the incidents as “a little bad” in an otherwise unblemished 20-year career in politics.
However, prosecutor Lionel Robberds QC said Slipper had failed to show contrition.
“The defendant is refusing to accept he committed these crimes,” he said.
Robberds said the only appropriate sentence was imprisonment.
While it was expected that a sentence would be handed down on Monday, Walker said the two submissions could not be more different and she needed time to “carefully consider” her decision.