It's still hard to believe that former Federal Court judge, Marcus Einfeld ended up in prison because he refused to pay a $77 speeding fine. The 72 year old once had a brilliant career but he threw it all away. He will be released from Sydney's Silverater prison on March 19 after serving two years of a three year sentence for perjury and perverting the course of justice.
He's planning a new career as a charity worker to redeem himself in the eyes of the pubic. But people have long memories - we will never forget the way he arrogantly swore under oath and signed a 20 page statement stating that he wasn't driving his car when the speeding ticket was issued - it was driven by a friend, Professor Teresa Brennan. But he knew only too well that his friend had been killed in a car accident in 2003.
He went to such extraordinary lengths to avoid paying the fine, you have to wonder why. He even had a friend Angela Liati testify that she had driven with Theresa Brennan on the day the ticket was issued. She too was convicted of attempting to pervert the course of justice and ordered to do community service.
The Court of Appeal looked at his 20 page statement and made the following comments:
This statement reflects a studied, careful and premeditated attempt through a series of direct lies to influence the outcome of the administration of justice. It involves not a passing mistake, not an unfortunate and apparently uncharacteristic lapse but a studied and deliberate attempt to avoid the consequences of his actions and to deflect and pervert the course of justice.
Einfeld is a former UNICEF ambassador and spokesman for Israeli and Jewish causes. During his time in jail, he relinquished his Order of Australia and his commission as a Queen's counsel and stepped down from the NSW Bar Association.
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