Australia: woman in burqa avoids jail because identity could not be proven

From news.com.au

Race row woman avoids jail by remaining behind her burqa

  • By Paul Kent
  • From: The Daily Telegraph
  • June 21, 2011 12:00AM
  • THE Muslim woman accused of lying about police trying to tear her burqa off has avoided jail – because her identity could not be proven.

    Carnita Matthews, 47, from Woodbine, in Sydney’s southwest, had been sentenced to six months in jail for making a deliberately false statement that a policeman tried to forcibly remove her burqa because he was a racist.

    But judge Clive Jeffreys said yesterday he was not satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that it was Mrs Matthews who made the racism accusation because the person who complained to police was wearing a burqa at the time.

    The absurdity of the law is that, to reach the level of proof of identity to make the case, Mrs Matthews would have been required to identify herself by lifting her burqa at the police station – what started the uproar in the first place.

    More than a dozen Muslim supporters linked arms and began chanting “Allah Akbar” as they stormed out of Downing Centre Court with Mrs Matthews concealed behind them.

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    Tempers rose and they began jostling with police after several members of the group attacked cameramen.

    It marked a stark difference from their behaviour minutes earlier, when they had quietly assembled outside the lifts for prayer shortly after the judge’s decision.

    Mrs Matthew’s lawyer Stephen Hopper defended their actions saying: “They are obviously happy with the result and are expressing it in a way that is culturally appropriate to them.”

    Judge Jeffreys said yesterday that even if Mrs Matthews had made the complaint, he could not be sure she knew it was a “false” statement.

    “I am not satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that she made the complaint,” he said.

    “Even if I was satisfied that she made the complaint, I am not satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that it was knowingly false.”

    Mrs Matthews made the claim in her court appearance last year, saying police could not prove it was her behind the burqa when the complaint was handed in to police. The local magistrate rejected it.

    The case had lit up the religious debate when a magistrate found Mrs Matthews had deliberately made false complaints that Sergeant Paul Kearney was racist and had attempted to tear her burqa off her face when she declined to remove it on request.

    She was pulled over for a random breath test last June, and accused Sgt Kearney of racism only after he booked her for failing to properly display her P-plates.

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    The incident was captured on a patrol car video camera and helped clear Sgt Kearney, prompting calls for all police cars to carry in-built cameras to avoid false claims.

    “I’ve got my P-plates on my car … there was nothing wrong with how they were displayed,” Mrs Matthews says on the video.

    “You look at me and see me wearing this and you couldn’t handle it. All cops are racist.”

    She then threatens, “100 per cent”, that she will take the matter to court and fight the charge.

     

    12 Replies to “Australia: woman in burqa avoids jail because identity could not be proven”

    1. If we are stupid enough to allow behavior which mocks and negates our laws then we deserve nothing better than 7th-century justice.

    2. “Race row woman ”

      Note how the Telegraph’s Paul Kent deliberately adds insult to injury.

      Canitha Matthews is a white Anglo revert, she is not of another race. One day, she got screwed by a Muselman (in more ways than one) and since then she wraps herself in shrouds and stands against her own people.

      Those who are dumb enough to buy the perfidy of this canaille deserve to be laughed out of the country.

    3. This is a disgrace

      Surely they could have done voice recognition?

      I believe the guy she is ‘shacked up with’ is the father of her children, but he won’t marry her because she isn’t ..wait for it ‘a virgin!!

    4. Veiled women might be fingerprinted in NSW

      Muslim women who file complaints with police while wearing full-face veils could be fingerprinted in future to confirm their identity, NSW Police Minister Mike Gallagher says.

      The suggestion arose after Sydney woman Carnita Matthews, 47, who had been sentenced in 2010 to six months’ jail for falsely accusing a police officer of trying forcibly to remove her burqa, won an appeal against her conviction.

      The mother of seven had made a criminal complaint to police three days after she was pulled over in her car in Woodbine, southwest Sydney, for a random breath test on June 7, 2010.
      Advertisement: Story continues below

      Judge Clive Jeffreys on Monday overturned Ms Matthews’ conviction at an appeal hearing in the NSW District Court.

      He said there was no evidence to confirm that it was Ms Matthews who had filed the complaint because the person who made it was wearing a face veil.

      Mr Gallagher on Tuesday said that in future criminal cases, complainants and witnesses who failed to remove their face veils may be required to have their fingerprints taken to confirm their identity.

      Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/veiled-women-might-be-fingerprinted-in-nsw-20110621-1gd2s.html#ixzz1PvIMduAS

    5. Yes, this is totally bizarre, but here in Canada if we don’t deal with this possibility we can be confronted with the same nonsense. Before the last election, a member of parliament, Steven Blaney from Quebec had a bill on the table, to be brought forward for reading, but it was lost when the government folded. So it will need to be brought forward once again, hopefully by someone. It must state that people who vote, enter court, or any public service job, or drive, or have photos taken for ID here in Canada, are not permitted to cover their faces. I have been trying to write to MP’s to hopefully find out who has the courage to deal with this and bring forth another bill to be debated in parliament. At least my MP, Laurie Hawn has had the courtesy to write back regarding my inquiry.

    6. There have been several political fights in the states over requiring all drivers licenses to have a clear recognizable picture on them, so far good sense has won but who knows how long this will keep happening.

    7. Dear Carnita,as a 7th generation make Aussie,I would like to thank you for what you achieved this week.you have done what no normal,peaceful,law-abiding Muslim woman could do.that is,stir up the ‘ban the burqa’ debate.you see,us Aussies are a tolerant bunch.we don’t really mind where you’re from,what you look like,what religion you practice,or what cultural background you are.so long as you pretty much keep to yourself and don’t bother us.but I tell
      you something Carnita-if you walk out of a courthouse shouting Allah Akbar,it’s game on,Mole.oh,and get yourself a new Rent-A-Crowd,coz those ‘supporters did you no favors.this behavior is unacceptable.this behavior is not funny.this behavior is not smart.thus behaviour has no place in Australia.with a good ol’ Aussie name like Matthews,I’m sure you’re familiar with the term-acting like a goose.yes,you are.you’re mother must be so proud.oh,wait a minute!! Does your mother know if it’s you under your burqa? Coz the police don’t know.the court doesn’t know.but it’s ok,coz WE know who you are,Mrs. Carnita Matthews,47,of Woodbine,with 7 kids.it doesn’t actually matter to me that you got off the charges.that was predictable.what matters is,the court proved that you lied.the whole of Sydney knows you’re a liar.the whole of Australia knows you’re a liar.your story may have even made it to some overseas networks,like,Al Jazeer? What an upstanding member of the community you are.such a good witness for your ‘religion’.such a great example to your 7 kids..travel the world,Carnita.ask friends that have travelled the world.turn in ANY news broadcast in ANY country,and you will see that ‘your prople’ are ALWAYS right in
      the middle of trouble.fucking up that country.is that what you want for Australia? Oh,but don’t cite that example Muslims LOVE to use-what about Belfast,Catholics v Protestants? That’s isolated to their country.they don’t travel the world wearing bomb vests,blowing up infedels minding their own business.Can’t you see how fucked up the arse this is,Carnita? Or maybe that’s what you need.this situation couldn’t been very different,Carnita.if,on the night you were pulled over,you had simply obeyed the law like everyone else,and not LIED,this may have not turned into the circus it has.anyway,I NEVER want to see another burqa.I NEVER want to hear the word burqa….burqa should not even be in the Australian vocabulary.oh,and if you want to hide your face,do us all a favor-take your burqa off and STAY INDOORS..you’re probably on welfare anyway.you know what,Carnita,47,of Woodbine,with 7 kids? I don’t even blame you for all this.it’s the Australian
      Governments fault for having laws allowing to allow people to act like fuckwits.anyway,must go.I’ve got to GO TO WORK.yours sincerely,Wayne x

    8. Well well Carnita (Mexican”PORK”dish) that Muslim liar low life,once again you have shown us what YOUR disgusting religion`s all about,you Muslims live in denial,why did you come to my country where it`s filled with predominantly Christian Anglo`s,why did`nt you lot go to ;Pakistan,Indonesia,Saudi etc where you bang your head 50 times a day. YOU Muslims fart & shit like the rest of us,and there`s no where in the Koran that say`s you must wear a veil/etc NO WHERE;you men folk have a problem with their sexuality,but there again centenaries of 1st cousins marrying each other has to breed re-tards.Your a bunch of non-achievers who know NOTHING of GOD`S LOVE,CHARITY,COMPASSION & helping others;When was the last time Muslims helped someone other than themselves???!!..That`s why the whole Middle East is up side down;your religion is so back ward & out of step with modern society your all lost.You people are losers & will go down in history as the most hated race of misfits of past & future generations,and you know nothing of GOD`S true meaning of….LOVE.you`ve missed it with your hatred & blindness of others-you sad sorry lot…..A Crakerfat

    9. Hello,how`s that little Liar Carnita today still not paying her traffic infringements/telling more lie`s-you disgusting “mother” of 7 shame on you, you could have destroyed that Good Police officer`s carer/life.But that`s what you had planned you lump of gutter slime.I hope the NSW Gov` appeal judge Jeffrey`s decision…see how you`ll go then,SHAME on YOU…. Ivor Hardon

    10. Just go back to where all you morons came, you MUSLIM LOW LIFE you DISGUST us…. Iva Biggin

    11. Matthews your not even born Muslim your a convert-you scum liar EVIL; WICKED; wait till the NSW Gov appeal……..HA HA HA HA…… Iva Biggin