Paul Rofe QC
Encyclopedia
Paul John Lawrence Rofe QC
(born 1948) is a prominent South Australian criminal barrister and the former South Australia
n Director of Public Prosecutions
, a position he held from 1992 to 2004.
. He was College Captain in 1965 and completed his Leaving Honours in the same year. He graduated from the Law School of the University of Adelaide
with a LLB and was admitted to practice in 1973. In 1974, he was a judge's associate to Justice Walters and then to Chief Justice Bray. Early in his career, Rofe worked as a counsel assisting the Coroner
before he joined the Crown Prosecutor's Office in 1977. He was appointed a QC
in 1991.
He is well known for his involvement in football, both as a player and administrator. He was a Director of the Adelaide Crows Football Club from 1999 to 2003.
During his career as a prosecutor, Rofe successfully prosecuted some of South Australia's most notorious murder trials, including Bevan Spencer von Einem, Henry Keogh, and David Szach.
Controversy erupted in February 2003 over revelations by Channel 7’s Today Tonight program that during office hours, he had visited a TAB betting shop, or bought ‘scratchies’ up to 17 times in one day. More controversy arose in July 2003 over his plea-bargaining in the case of Paul Nemer. This led to a confrontation with the Government in which he was directed by the Attorney-General to appeal the leniency of the sentence imposed upon Nemer for shooting a newspaper delivery man in 2002. The Solicitor-General, Mr Chris Kourakis QC, reviewed the matter at the request of the Government. In his report, issued in April 2004, the Solicitor-General found that some aspects of Mr Rofe’s handling of the conduct of the prosecution of Nemer were ‘inept’. Rofe wrote his own 'robust' report concerning the handling of the Nemer case, largely in response to the Kourakis Report, but the Attorney-General, Michael Atkinson, refused to release it, despite media attempts to procure the report.
Soon after Rofe's departure from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the then President of the Law Society of South Australia, David Howard, acknowledged that Rofe's 'fairness, integrity and generally sound judgment are legendary'. Rofe was also acknowledged by the Acting Director of Public Prosecutions, Wendy Abraham QC, as 'a fearless prosecutor who regularly sparked public interest in difficult and complex policy issues'.
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(born 1948) is a prominent South Australian criminal barrister and the former South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
n Director of Public Prosecutions
Director of Public Prosecutions
The Director of Public Prosecutions is the officer charged with the prosecution of criminal offences in several criminal jurisdictions around the world...
, a position he held from 1992 to 2004.
Education & Career
Rofe was educated at Saint Ignatius' College, AdelaideSaint Ignatius' College, Adelaide
The College has two campuses, the Junior school and Early Childhood Centre in Norwood and the Senior campus in Athelstone.Saint Ignatius' College is part of the international network of Jesuit schools which began in Messina, Sicily in 1548...
. He was College Captain in 1965 and completed his Leaving Honours in the same year. He graduated from the Law School of the University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
with a LLB and was admitted to practice in 1973. In 1974, he was a judge's associate to Justice Walters and then to Chief Justice Bray. Early in his career, Rofe worked as a counsel assisting the Coroner
Coroner
A coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
before he joined the Crown Prosecutor's Office in 1977. He was appointed a QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 1991.
He is well known for his involvement in football, both as a player and administrator. He was a Director of the Adelaide Crows Football Club from 1999 to 2003.
During his career as a prosecutor, Rofe successfully prosecuted some of South Australia's most notorious murder trials, including Bevan Spencer von Einem, Henry Keogh, and David Szach.
Controversy
In 1996 he publicly apologised following his conviction for drink-driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.178. He was fined and banned from driving for 15 months. He was reappointed for a further seven-year term as DPP in May 1999. Although he suffered a mild stroke later that year, and had to take leave, he was still able to continue as DPP.Controversy erupted in February 2003 over revelations by Channel 7’s Today Tonight program that during office hours, he had visited a TAB betting shop, or bought ‘scratchies’ up to 17 times in one day. More controversy arose in July 2003 over his plea-bargaining in the case of Paul Nemer. This led to a confrontation with the Government in which he was directed by the Attorney-General to appeal the leniency of the sentence imposed upon Nemer for shooting a newspaper delivery man in 2002. The Solicitor-General, Mr Chris Kourakis QC, reviewed the matter at the request of the Government. In his report, issued in April 2004, the Solicitor-General found that some aspects of Mr Rofe’s handling of the conduct of the prosecution of Nemer were ‘inept’. Rofe wrote his own 'robust' report concerning the handling of the Nemer case, largely in response to the Kourakis Report, but the Attorney-General, Michael Atkinson, refused to release it, despite media attempts to procure the report.
Legacy
Mr Rofe resigned as DPP in May 2004 and he began working as a barrister in July 2004.Soon after Rofe's departure from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the then President of the Law Society of South Australia, David Howard, acknowledged that Rofe's 'fairness, integrity and generally sound judgment are legendary'. Rofe was also acknowledged by the Acting Director of Public Prosecutions, Wendy Abraham QC, as 'a fearless prosecutor who regularly sparked public interest in difficult and complex policy issues'.