ALMOST 60 criminal cases could have been finalised in the time it took to hear the five-month trial of double murderer Stephen Roy Standage. Standage was in August sentenced to 48 years behind bars after the longest-ever criminal trial in Tasmania's history. Standage was convicted over the shooting murders of John Lewis Thorn in 2006 and Ronald Frederick Jarvis in 1992. The Supreme Court of Tasmania's annual report has revealed his trial was largely responsible for a 13 per cent drop in new criminal cases brought before the court, as well as a plunge in clearance rates. The decreases drove a 10 per cent spike in pending cases within 12 months. Twelve jurors and two reserves were empanelled to hear Standage's trial. While a case-by-case breakdown of jury costs was not made available, the overall expenses of jurors surged $80,000 in the past financial year. The case against Standage heard from more than 180 witnesses, with the Supreme Court recording a $29,000 rise in witness expenses over the period. The figures come after the Director of Public Prosecutions' annual report showed Standage's trial contributed significantly to the state's lowest criminal conviction rates in more than 10 years. The report showed 385 cases were finalised in the 2013-14 year, compared with 534 the year before. The absence of then-top prosecutor Tim Ellis, who was suspended on full pay over a fatal car crash for which he was later convicted and sacked, was also identified as a major factor in the low conviction rates. Standage has lodged an appeal against his conviction, which is yet to come before the courts.
ALMOST 60 criminal cases could have been finalised in the time it took to hear the five-month trial of double murderer Stephen Roy Standage.
Standage was in August sentenced to 48 years behind bars after the longest-ever criminal trial in Tasmania's history.
Standage was convicted over the shooting murders of John Lewis Thorn in 2006 and Ronald Frederick Jarvis in 1992.
The Supreme Court of Tasmania's annual report has revealed his trial was largely responsible for a 13 per cent drop in new criminal cases brought before the court, as well as a plunge in clearance rates.
The decreases drove a 10 per cent spike in pending cases within 12 months. Twelve jurors and two reserves were empanelled to hear Standage's trial.
While a case-by-case breakdown of jury costs was not made available, the overall expenses of jurors surged $80,000 in the past financial year.
The case against Standage heard from more than 180 witnesses, with the Supreme Court recording a $29,000 rise in witness expenses over the period.
The figures come after the Director of Public Prosecutions' annual report showed Standage's trial contributed significantly to the state's lowest criminal conviction rates in more than 10 years.
The report showed 385 cases were finalised in the 2013-14 year, compared with 534 the year before.
The absence of then-top prosecutor Tim Ellis, who was suspended on full pay over a fatal car crash for which he was later convicted and sacked, was also identified as a major factor in the low conviction rates.
Standage has lodged an appeal against his conviction, which is yet to come before the courts.
