SA: Shock-jock avoids jail over contempt charges

AAP General News (Australia)
08-25-2006
SA: Shock-jock avoids jail over contempt charges

By Lauren Ahwan and Tim Dornin

ADELAIDE, Aug 25 AAP - Adelaide radio shock-jock Bob Francis says he will never again
discuss court proceedings on-air, after narrowly escaping a jail sentence for telling
listeners a magistrate's face should be "smashed in".

"I feel bloody good," Francis declared after learning a nine-week prison term handed
down today by the South Australian Supreme Court had been suspended.

"When he (Justice David Bleby) mentioned the fact of nine weeks (imprisonment) it nearly
knocked me over.

"The stomach's been churning and bubbling all over the place but I feel so relieved
now, I feel like sort of falling down and fainting.

"It's a good feeling to be out and to go back to work tonight."

Instead of jailing Francis, who was convicted of contempt of court over his comments
on radio station 5AA, Justice Bleby instead fined the talkback host $20,000 and imposed
a $2,000, 18-month good behaviour bond.

Festival City Broadcasters, the owner of 5AA, were fined $80,000.

"Today I'm going to go home ... write a cheque and it's all over with," Francis said,
adding the fines would not impact on his lifestyle.

"I know I did wrong and I've learnt a bloody expensive lesson."

In October last year, Francis used his top-rating 5AA evening program to discuss the
case of Robert John Walker, a man charged with possessing child pornography, who had been
found with a list of names and addresses of young children and documents expressing a
desire to eat them.

During the program, Francis said Walker was guilty, despite the fact he had not entered
a plea at the time.

Francis went on to describe the case as "worse than the Snowtown bloody deaths" and
said a decision by Adelaide Magistrate Gary Gumpl to hear a bail application for Walker
was irresponsible.

"Am I here as a normal bloody human being or do judges live in another world?" he said.

"Oh, smash the judge's face in."

Francis later said he was unaware that, by law, a magistrate must give due consideration
to all bail applications.

The radio station has since paid $110,000 to Mr Gumpl in an out-of-court settlement
after the magistrate initiated defamation proceedings.

Francis, who has spent almost 50 years in the radio industry, is no stranger to controversy.

Last year, the Australian Broadcasting Authority found on-air comments he had made
may have vilified Aborigines.

Asked today whether he could be of good behaviour for 18 months, the larger-than-life
character, who recently married for the fifth time, laughed and replied: "You betcha.

I'm the nicest guy on earth".

Francis said he would never comment on court proceedings on-air again, but added he
believed listeners supported his views on Walker, who has since been convicted of possessing
child pornography and and jailed for three years.

"I realise I went too far ... I said something on the spur of the moment which I deeply
regret," he said.

"(But) I must say I'm happy the man I talked about is in jail.

"It (Walker's case) incensed me.

"I went absolutely stupid and I think I became a different person ... I went too far.

"But somehow, something inside me says everyone has backed me for what I said."

AAP la/it/bwl

KEYWORD: FRANCIS NIGHTLEAD

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