Knight’s statements to Police

[Editor’s Note:   Knight was formally interviewed twice by police.  The first occasion was as a Defendant in Police v Julian KNIGHT on the Sunday night of the stabbing case on 31st May 1987 at the Belconnen Criminal Investigation Branch by First Constable Shane Daniel AUSTIN in Canberra.

The second occasion was some twenty seven years later by Julian KNIGHT on 12th December 2014, this time as Applicant in his law suit against Duntroon for historical abuse in the case KNIGHT v Commonwealth of Australia (No 3) [2017] ACTSC 3 in the Supreme Court in the Australian Capital Territory.   Knight’s statement is a transcript of a teleconference interview of Knight by Senior Constable Timothy Saunders of the Tuggeranong Police Station, in the ACT.]


 

[Julian Knight continues…]

Sunday 31 May 1987: 

“After my injuries were examined by Dr WILKINS, I was questioned by First Constable AUSTIN and Senior Constable NOVAK almost continuously from 0420hrs to 0550hrs.  At around 0510hrs, AUSTIN told me that, “Due to the fact that you require surgery on your hand and in light of certain admissions you have made to me I am going to place you in custody and you will later be charged with the Malicious Wounding with a knife of Philip John REED”.

At 0550hrs, I was conveyed to Ward 3C of the Royal Canberra Hospital and placed under police guard. At about 0620hrs, First Constable AUSTIN rang Captain HANSON at Duntroon and informed him of the complete situation, before he and NOVAK returned to the City Police Station. AUSTIN and Senior Constable NOVAK and the officer-in-charge of the Police Watch-house, Sergeant HOBART, returned to the Royal Canberra Hospital at 2005hrs on Sunday 31 May 1987, and came to my bedside.”

‘Between 0930-1200hrs that day I had undergone surgery and had my flexor tendons fixed by a micro-surgeon, Dr JAMES.  I was woken by AUSTIN and I was then formally charged by Sergeant HOBART with:

  1. Malicious Wounding
  2. Assault
  3. Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm.

After I was charged Sergeant HOBART returned to the City Police Station, and AUSTIN and NOVAK requested that I consent to a formal record of interview.  I requested a solicitor so I was given a phone to call the Duty Officer at RMC, who was by then Captain VOTE.  I informed Captain VOTE of my predicament and asked if the Army would provide me with legal representation. Captain VOTE replied that he would find out and call back.

A few minutes later Captain VOTE called back.  I left the room and took the call at the nurses’ desk in the ward.  Captain VOTE told me that the Army would not provide me with legal assistance. I returned to my bed and said to AUSTIN and NOVAK that, “The Army are not providing me with any Legal Aid, I want to provide that record of interview now”.

The duty registrar, Dr MARCHANT, told AUSTIN and NOVAK that I was fit to be interviewed and the official record of interview commenced at 2101hrs. The interview continued, with frequent interruptions, until 0031hrs on Monday 1 June 1987. During this time I had no contact with any relatives or friends, and the only contact I had with the Duntroon authorities was with Captain VOTE when he visited the ward, from 2113-2122hrs, to get an up-date on my situation.

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