My wife has suffered for her burqa, says Carnita Matthews' husband
Clementine Cuneo and Amy Dale
June 23, 2011
THE husband of Muslim woman Carnita Matthews says she is not a liar and has suffered tremendously from her public
ordeal.
Muslim Thugs and supporters of Carnita Matthews seen here charging media and pedestrians following Carnita Matthews aquittal.
Ibrahim Galiel said the mother of seven was put in hospital a few months ago with a nervous breakdown.
"She is not in a good way, she does not even want to leave the house, she is afraid to go outside," he said.
Mr Galiel said his Australian-born wife had been unfairly portrayed since she was charged with falsely claiming a racist
police officer had tried to lift her burqa.
"The judge in the court found her to not be a liar and he wasn't Muslim ... So that should be enough for people to leave
her alone," he said.
Ms Matthews, 47, was sentenced to six months jail for making a deliberately false statement that a policeman tried to
lift her burqa.
In June last year, she was pulled over for a random breath test but went on to accuse the police officer of racism when he
booked her for failing to display her P-plates.
She was charged with making a false complaint at Campbelltown police station but Judge Clive Jeffreys this week
quashed her conviction, saying identity could not be proven.
Mr Galiel said it was a great relief for Ms Matthews to be vindicated: "She is not a dishonest woman; she is a good
mother of seven children and this has been a very distressing time for all of us."
"She even had to be treated in hospital a while back for a nervous breakdown."
As Judge Jeffreys yesterday delivered his reason for upholding Ms Matthews' appeal, her legal team indicated that they
would apply for costs.
Judge Jeffreys said that the prosecution had failed to prove two aspects of the charge "beyond a reasonable doubt".
He said there wasn't enough evidence it was Ms Matthews who handed in the written complaint to Campbelltown police
station and, even if it were, there wasn't enough evidence to prove that she "intentionally, deliberately and purposefully"
made a false complaint.
A factor that the prosecution had relied on was the fact the signature on the statutory declaration matched that on Ms
Matthew's licence, but Mr Jeffreys said he thought there were "a number of differences" between the two.
Ms Matthews' lawyer Stephen Hopper said a costs application would be filed.
"We haven't calculated all of that yet (but) our costs are fairly modest because both (Ms Matthews's barrister Phillip
Boulten SC) and I did it at a reduced fee because of Mrs Matthews' circumstances," Mr Hopper said.
The Daily Telegraph's online poll yesterday showed an overwhelming majority of people thought police should have the
power to demand women lift their burqa for identity purposes. Of 12,600 votes, 96.5 per cent were in favour, while 3.4
per cent thought it was inappropriate.
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