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He was first elected to parliament at the [[Queensland state election, 1972|1972 election]] for the seat of [[Electoral district of Albert|Albert]] following [[Liberal Party of Australia (Queensland Division)|Liberal]] MLA [[Bill Heatley]]'s death, but he was defeated at the [[Queensland state election, 1974|1974 election]]. He returned to the Assembly in 1977 as the member for the new seat of [[Electoral district of Woodridge|Woodridge]]. In 1987 he was appointed Opposition Spokesman on Tourism, Sport and Racing, and in February 1980 became Deputy Leader of the Opposition, serving until 1982. He held his seat until his resignation in January 2000.<ref name=QLD>{{cite web|title=Former Members|publisher=[[Parliament of Queensland]]|year=2015| url=http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/members/former/bio?id=4233626910|accessdate= 4 February 2015}}</ref><ref name="darcyout">{{cite news|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/bill-darcy-out-of-jail/story-e6freoof-1111115119037|title=Former Labor MP served seven years for child sex offences|work=Courier-Mail|author=Alex Dickinson|date=14 December 2007}}</ref>
He was first elected to parliament at the [[Queensland state election, 1972|1972 election]] for the seat of [[Electoral district of Albert|Albert]] following [[Liberal Party of Australia (Queensland Division)|Liberal]] MLA [[Bill Heatley]]'s death, but he was defeated at the [[Queensland state election, 1974|1974 election]]. He returned to the Assembly in 1977 as the member for the new seat of [[Electoral district of Woodridge|Woodridge]]. In 1987 he was appointed Opposition Spokesman on Tourism, Sport and Racing, and in February 1980 became Deputy Leader of the Opposition, serving until 1982. He held his seat until his resignation in January 2000.<ref name=QLD>{{cite web|title=Former Members|publisher=[[Parliament of Queensland]]|year=2015| url=http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/members/former/bio?id=4233626910|accessdate= 4 February 2015}}</ref><ref name="darcyout">{{cite news|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/bill-darcy-out-of-jail/story-e6freoof-1111115119037|title=Former Labor MP served seven years for child sex offences|work=Courier-Mail|author=Alex Dickinson|date=14 December 2007}}</ref>


In November 2000 in the Brisbane Supreme Court Bill D’Arcy was tried and convicted of one charge of rape and seventeen other charges of sexual assaults on children in his care as young teacher at the Yalleroi School in the mid 1960s.<ref>Oberhardt, Mark; ''Judge Blasts D'Arcy Delay''; The Courier-Mail,March 14, 2002,p.7</ref> He was sentenced to fourteen years jail, later reduced to ten years by the Supreme Court of Queensland because of his good behaviour in the 36 years since the crimes were committed.<ref>http://www.apersonalhistory.com/Bill_D'Arcy/Pages2015/Trials&Events.html</ref>
Later in 2000 he was convicted of a number of sexual offences against children from his days as a sole teacher at country [[primary school]]s in the 1960s and 1970s. D'Arcy was released in 2007.<ref name="darcyout"/>
D’Arcy vehemently protested his innocence claiming he had been pre-tried by the media.<ref>Klotz, Suzanne: Ex-MP to Stand Trial for Rape,
Molesting; the Canberra Times, January 22nd, 2000</ref>
<blockquote>''I’m saying to you that these allegations made against me are false, and I’ll defend my innocence until my dying breath''.<ref>Oberhardt, Mark; ''Judge Blasts D'Arcy Delay''; The Courier-Mail,March 14, 2002,p.7</ref></blockquote>
In June 2002 two of D’Arcy’s victims sued D’Arcy for $500,000 in the District Court of Queensland.<ref>Wilson, Marshall; ''D’Arcy assault victims sue for $500,000'', The Courier-Mail, February 2, 2002, p4</ref> These civil proceedings covered the same grounds as the original criminal trial. Judge H W H Botting denied the compensation, and awarded costs to D’Arcy, stating that:
<blockquote>''The applicants have not discharged the onus of persuading me that a fair trial is now possible. In fact, in my view, the time that has now elapsed since the events complained of took place make the chances of a fair trial unlikely.''<ref>Botting, Judge HWH, DCJ: In the Matter of Applications in matters numbered 861 0f 2001 and 864 of 2001, District Court of Queensland, Brisbane Registry, June 21, 2002, pp40-41</ref></blockquote>


On Nov 13, 2011 an article appeared in the Australian Newspaper reporting D’Arcy as strongly protesting his innocence of all charges and claiming that “private investigators, psychologists and lawyers” had built a case that would prove his innocence. In reply Queensland Attorney-General [[Paul Lucas (politician)|Paul Lucas]] dismissed his claims. “ I have nothing but contempt for Bill D’Arcy,” he said.“ <ref>Michael McKenna, ''D’Arcy’s New Bid to Clear his Name'', The Australian, Nov 13, 2011.</ref>
On Nov 13, 2011 an article appeared in the Australian Newspaper reporting D’Arcy as strongly protesting his innocence of all charges and claiming that “private investigators, psychologists and lawyers” had built a case that would prove his innocence. In reply Queensland Attorney-General [[Paul Lucas (politician)|Paul Lucas]] dismissed his claims. “ I have nothing but contempt for Bill D’Arcy,” he said.“ <ref>Michael McKenna, ''D’Arcy’s New Bid to Clear his Name'', The Australian, Nov 13, 2011.</ref>
D'Arcy was released in 2007.
==External Links==
[http://www.apersonalhistory.com/Bill_D'Arcy/ Bill D’Arcy Support Group]

[https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200102/cmselect/cmhaff/836/83603.htm British House of Commons: Miscarriages of Justice from “over-enthusiastic” pursuit of allegations of child abuse.]

[https://dallymessenger.com/2018/12/01/bill-darcy-carpet-bombing-and-hysteria-wrongful-conviction/ Bill D’Arcy: Carpet Bombing and Hysteria by Dally Messenger III]

[https://dallymessenger.com/2018/04/26/the-fragile-rule-of-law-the-presumption-of-innocence-and-bill-darcy/ The Fragile Rule of Law, the Presumption of Innocence, and Bill D’Arcy]


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 23:08, 27 April 2019

Bill D'Arcy
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
for Albert
In office
27 May 1972 – 7 December 1974
Preceded byBill Heatley
Succeeded byIvan Gibbs
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
for Woodridge
In office
12 November 1977 – 9 January 2000
Preceded byNew seat
Succeeded byMike Kaiser
Personal details
Born
William Theodore D'Arcy

(1939-07-31) 31 July 1939 (age 84)
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Political partyLabor
OccupationTeacher, Business consultant

William Theodore D'Arcy (born 31 July 1939) is a former Australian politician. He was the Labor member for Albert (1972–74) and Woodridge (1977–2000) in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland.

D'Arcy was born in Brisbane. He worked as a teacher and business consultant before his entry into politics.

He was first elected to parliament at the 1972 election for the seat of Albert following Liberal MLA Bill Heatley's death, but he was defeated at the 1974 election. He returned to the Assembly in 1977 as the member for the new seat of Woodridge. In 1987 he was appointed Opposition Spokesman on Tourism, Sport and Racing, and in February 1980 became Deputy Leader of the Opposition, serving until 1982. He held his seat until his resignation in January 2000.[1][2]

In November 2000 in the Brisbane Supreme Court Bill D’Arcy was tried and convicted of one charge of rape and seventeen other charges of sexual assaults on children in his care as young teacher at the Yalleroi School in the mid 1960s.[3] He was sentenced to fourteen years jail, later reduced to ten years by the Supreme Court of Queensland because of his good behaviour in the 36 years since the crimes were committed.[4] D’Arcy vehemently protested his innocence claiming he had been pre-tried by the media.[5]

I’m saying to you that these allegations made against me are false, and I’ll defend my innocence until my dying breath.[6]

In June 2002 two of D’Arcy’s victims sued D’Arcy for $500,000 in the District Court of Queensland.[7] These civil proceedings covered the same grounds as the original criminal trial. Judge H W H Botting denied the compensation, and awarded costs to D’Arcy, stating that:

The applicants have not discharged the onus of persuading me that a fair trial is now possible. In fact, in my view, the time that has now elapsed since the events complained of took place make the chances of a fair trial unlikely.[8]

On Nov 13, 2011 an article appeared in the Australian Newspaper reporting D’Arcy as strongly protesting his innocence of all charges and claiming that “private investigators, psychologists and lawyers” had built a case that would prove his innocence. In reply Queensland Attorney-General Paul Lucas dismissed his claims. “ I have nothing but contempt for Bill D’Arcy,” he said.“ [9] D'Arcy was released in 2007.

External Links

Bill D’Arcy Support Group

British House of Commons: Miscarriages of Justice from “over-enthusiastic” pursuit of allegations of child abuse.

Bill D’Arcy: Carpet Bombing and Hysteria by Dally Messenger III

The Fragile Rule of Law, the Presumption of Innocence, and Bill D’Arcy

References

  1. ^ "Former Members". Parliament of Queensland. 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  2. ^ Alex Dickinson (14 December 2007). "Former Labor MP served seven years for child sex offences". Courier-Mail.
  3. ^ Oberhardt, Mark; Judge Blasts D'Arcy Delay; The Courier-Mail,March 14, 2002,p.7
  4. ^ http://www.apersonalhistory.com/Bill_D'Arcy/Pages2015/Trials&Events.html
  5. ^ Klotz, Suzanne: Ex-MP to Stand Trial for Rape, Molesting; the Canberra Times, January 22nd, 2000
  6. ^ Oberhardt, Mark; Judge Blasts D'Arcy Delay; The Courier-Mail,March 14, 2002,p.7
  7. ^ Wilson, Marshall; D’Arcy assault victims sue for $500,000, The Courier-Mail, February 2, 2002, p4
  8. ^ Botting, Judge HWH, DCJ: In the Matter of Applications in matters numbered 861 0f 2001 and 864 of 2001, District Court of Queensland, Brisbane Registry, June 21, 2002, pp40-41
  9. ^ Michael McKenna, D’Arcy’s New Bid to Clear his Name, The Australian, Nov 13, 2011.
Parliament of Queensland
Preceded by Member for Albert
1972–1974
Succeeded by
Preceded by
New seat
Member for Woodridge
1977–2000
Succeeded by