Mock

The Sunday Times

Payout ... Andrew Mallard has been awarded $3.25 million for his wrongful conviction

• Man awarded $3.25 million compensation
• Wrongfully jailed for murder
• Had spent 12 years in prison

A WEST Australian man has expressed his "extreme disappointment" atbeing awarded $3.25m compensation for more than 12 years in jail following his wrongful conviction for murder.

.Andrew Mallard was convicted of the 1994 murder of Mosman Park jeweller Pamela Lawrence.

PerthNow reports that WA Attorney General Christian Porter today announced that the Government had settled with Mr Mallard after lengthy negotiations.

Mr Mallard said he was "extremely disappointed" with the figure.

"I will be conferring with my lawyers," Mr Mallard told Fairfax.

Labor MP John Quigley, a close friend of Mr Mallard who fought for his release from prison, said $7.5 million was being sought following independent legal advice Mr Mallard had received.



Scott of Hobart Mr Quigley, who has championed Mr Mallard's case and lobbied for his release, said he knew the final settlement would be "miserable".

"One thing I can say with absolute confidence about this offer - Premier Barnett and Christian Porter wouldn't accept this in return for 12 years jail and the destruction of their life," Mr Quigleysaid.

"Why should Andrew's life be valued at a lesser rate than Colin Barnett's or Christian Porter's?

"In fact this sum equates to approximately to what Colin Barnett will get from the parliamentary super scheme when he retires."

Initially, he had asked for $10 million in compensation for the 12 years he spent behind bars for a crime he didn't commit - the 1994 murder of Mosman Park jeweller Pamela Lawrence.

Mr Quigley said Attorney-General Christian Porter had indicated he was preparing to offer a multimillion-dollar ex-gratia payout to Mr Mallard.

He said the police and some individual officers would be sued if Mr Mallard was short-changed.Mr Quigley said Mr Mallard endured emotional and physical trauma during his time in prison.

"Andrew, because he wouldn't admit his guilt in prison, was shipped off to a psychiatric hospital and injected with drugs principally because he refused to admit his guilt,'' he said.