Canberra, July 9 (ANI): The Muslim woman in Australia who won an appeal over her conviction for making a deliberately false statement that a policeman tried to lift her burqa, has asked the state to pay her legal costs.
Carnita Matthews, 47, was originally convicted and sentenced to six months jail for falsely claiming a highway patrol officer was racist because he had attempted to remove her veil.
Convicted of making a false statement, she appealed to the District Court, where Judge Clive Jeffreys quashed her conviction, saying her identity could not be proven.
Matthews' lawyer Stephen Hopper has now said that he had recently submitted an application for legal costs on behalf of Matthews to the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
"We've complied with the orders set out by Judge Jeffreys following the appeal. There are some tests within the (laws) as to whether costs can be awarded so we just have to wait and see what His Honour says," the Telegraph quoted Hopper, as saying.
An order for legal costs would only cover Hopper's fees and that of Sydney silk Philip Boulten SC, who appeared for Matthews on the appeal.
Hopper would not comment on claims her costs were in the order of 9000 dollars, the paper said. (ANI)
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