FOUR PEOPLE were discharged by the High Court after prosecutors failed to comply with a scheduling order. The court had directed police to submit the case file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) by October 23, then file witness statements by November 13.

Prosecutors applied for an extension on October 10, and again on December 8, saying police had not prepared statements in compliance with the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act.

Defence attorneys Enrique Singh and Alejandro Gocking, along with public defenders Shane Patience and Colin Elbourne, argued that the state’s reasons were inadequate and undermined the requirement for matters to be handled justly and fairly.