News briefs

MELBOURNE — In February 1991, Anthony Krog died after he was sent by his employer, Denbo Pty Ltd, to drive a truck with serious brake problems on the Western Ring Road project. When the case went to court in June, the company was fined $10,000 for two breaches of the Occupational Health & Safety Act, management having been aware that the truck's brakes were faulty.

To avoid paying the fine, the shareholders liquidated the company and established a new one registered at the same address. The new company, Tooronga Constructions, is carrying out the same work on the Western Ring Road project that Denbo had previously been doing.

MELBOURNE — Two Supreme Court judges involved in a decision to reduce the sentence of a rapist because the case was "not very grave" also upheld a Victorian County Court decision in 1991 that rape is a lesser offence if the victim is a prostitute.

Justices Crockett and Teague formed a majority in the Supreme Court decision handed down on September 14, which reduced the sentence of a former policeman, James Smith, who admitted raping a woman in a car park before imprisoning her for two hours.

From GLW issue 160