The Prosecution Project
Uncover the details of Australia’s criminal past
29 March 2015
11am – 12.30pm
Police Headquarters
200 Roma Street
Brisbane QLD 4000
FREE ENTRY
On 13 October 1941, Patrick Drew, a 49-year-old Brisbane painter, plead guilty to 51 charges of theft and breaking and entering, which he had committed over a period of thirteen years. Drew, who was liable for 600 years’ imprisonment, was described as Queensland’s ‘most successful burglar’ by Justice Philp. However, out of consideration for Drew’s war service, the judge sentenced him to only two years’ imprisonment.
In this month’s Sunday Lecture, hear how the story of Brisbane’s best burglar is one of many that has been uncovered by a team of researchers at Griffith University engaged in exploring the history of the criminal trial in Australia, with support from the Australian Research Council through the Prosecution Project.
During the lecture ARC Laureate Fellow, Mark Finnane and Research Fellow Alana Piper will speak about the Prosecution Project’s website (https://prosecutionproject.griffith.edu.au), outline its aims and how the digitised information can be accessed by the community. They will explain how the project will produce a rich understanding of how crime has been prosecuted in Australia, as well as how people lived, behaved, dealt with conflict and tragedy and how legal and political institutions responded to crime and its consequences.
This one-and-a-half hour presentation will begin at 11am on Sunday, March 29 and will provide educational and up-to-date content suitable for all audiences.
The Museum opens its doors to the public on the last Sunday of each month from 10am to 3pm from February to November in addition to the standard Monday to Thursday 9am to 4pm opening hours. Monthly Sunday openings feature guest speakers from across the historical and crime-solving spectrums.
NOTE: Out lectures are proving to be very popular, so please arrive on time. The door to the conference room will be accessible from 10.45. When all seats are taken we cannot allow anyone else into the room.
The Police Museum will open Sunday March 29 from 10am to 3pm, and is located on the ground floor of Police Headquarters, 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Please pass this information onto your family, friends and other networks. We look forward to seeing you soon.