SA: Francis escapes jail over contempt of court charges

AAP General News (Australia)
08-25-2006
SA: Francis escapes jail over contempt of court charges

Adelaide radio shock-jock BOB FRANCIS has escaped going to jail .. over comments that
a magistrate's face should be "smashed in".

FRANCIS has been sentenced to nine weeks in prison and fined 20-thousand dollars ..

after being convicted of two counts of contempt of court.

But Supreme Court Justice DAVID BLEBY has suspended the jail term .. putting FRANCIS
on an 18-month good behaviour bond.

Justice BLEBY has also fined 5AA station owners Festival City Broadcasters 80-thousand dollars.





On October 26 last year .. FRANCIS used his top-rating evening program on 5AA to discuss
the case of ROBERT JOHN WALKER.

WALKER had been charged with possessing child pornography .. and had been found with
a list of names and addresses of young children .. and documents expressing a desire to
eat them.

During the program .. FRANCIS said WALKER was guilty .. despite the fact he'd not entered
a plea at the time.

FRANCIS went on to describe the case as .. worse than Snowtown.

He also said a decision by Adelaide magistrate GARY GUMPL to hear WALKER's bail application
was irresponsible .. saying judges lived in another world .. and that his face should
be smashed in.

Later FRANCIS said he was unaware that a magistrate must give due consideration to
all bail applications.

AAP RTV tjd/la/tm/ibw

KEYWORD: FRANCIS (ADELAIDE)

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