By Marcus Uhe
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton has described the decision to release Cranbourne’s Jason Roberts from prison after two decades behind bars as “very disappointing”.
Mr Roberts was released on Monday 12 July after a fresh jury found him not guilty of murdering police officers Sergeant Gary Silk and Senior Constable Rodney Miller in August 1998 in Moorabbin.
In 2003, he was jailed for a minimum of 35 years, alongside Narre Warren’s Bendali Debs, who is serving a life sentence.
A new Supreme Court trial was ordered for Mr Roberts following investigations into alleged police wrongdoing by Victoria’s anti-corruption watchdog, IBAC.
Chief Commissioner Patton, a former colleague of the late officers, said Victoria Police would “continue to wrap our arms around” those impacted by the incident, including the families of the victims and fellow police officers.
“It’s a very difficult day for Victoria Police,” Chief Commissioner Patton said.
“We’ll come together and continue to do what we do and be strong. From my point of view these days, while I used the word disappointing, I think what we see out of this is the resilience, the strength of policing organisation and our policing family.
“They went to work nearly 24 years ago. They were murdered. They didn’t come home. We mourn them still, we do every day.”
He paid tribute to the dignity, strength of character resilience and respect of the families of the victims.
“Days like this I immediately and sought to contact Carmel (Arthur, Senior Constable Miller’s widow). I also spoke this afternoon with Ian Silk.
“As you would expect, they described themselves as devastated, and words cannot describe what they’re feeling as a result of this decision.”
When asked about the prospects of appealing the verdict to the High Court, the Chief Commissioner said the decision was a matter for the director of public prosecutions.
“We put forward what I thought was a very substantial body of evidence and a very strong case. I don’t think I can take the matter any further than that.”
