CCC asks police for Finn cold case review
Corruption and Crime Commissioner John McKechnie has written to Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan asking for any evidence of police misconduct uncovered by its cold case review of the Shirley Finn murder.
In a statement last night, Mr McKechnie said the remit of the CCC extended to police misconduct "either now or in the past".
But he said historical matters were unlikely to be the subject of a CCC investigation "unless there are distinct links to the present" and that a coronial inquest was the most likely forum to deal with new information about the murder.
Mr McKechnie said anyone with information should contact WA Police but if they were unwilling to "for any reason", they could approach the CCC on 1800 809 000.
"Commission officers will meet with WA Police to discuss progress and whether the current investigation has identified any alleged police misconduct and or reviewable police action," he said.
"The CCC is available to provide support to WA Police, including the use of coercive powers to interview any person not willing to divulge relevant information to WA Police."
Mr O’Callaghan said he was “very supportive of the idea” of accessing such powers. He agreed that a coronial inquest was the most likely forum to deal with new information, but said that would not happen until the cold case review was completed.
Attorney-General Michael Mischin suggested that if there was any evidence capable of solving the 40-year-old murder it would likely have been revealed long ago.
"We are looking at a case from 1975. I was still in high school in 1975," Mr Mischin said.
"Many of those who would have known anything about the case at the time are probably dead, if they can be found at all. Whether their memories are reliable is another factor."
