Slipper wins appeal, three convictions thrown out

FORMER Sunshine Coast MP Peter Slipper has won his appeal against three dishonesty convictions.   

The former federal parliamentary speaker faced a hearing in ACT Supreme Court where Justice John Burns threw out the convictions and ordered the penalty be set aside.   

In July 2014, Mr Slipper was found guilty of misusing his Cabcharge allowance in 2010 to visit Canberra wineries and then filling out multiple vouchers to hide it.   

In September he was ordered by Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker to repay $954, complete 300 hours of community service and given a two-year good behaviour bond.  

The Chief Magistrate found Mr Slipper had been disingenuous in filling out the vouchers to suggest he had been to Canberra suburbs instead.  

Mr Slipper lodged an appeal in December.  

ABC news reported his lawyers told the ACT Court of Appeal the magistrate who found him guilty had failed to consider other possibilities, including that he had made a mistake and that the crown failed to prove he was not on parliamentary business.

Mr Slipper resigned as speaker in October 2012 amid a sexual harassment claim brought by his former staffer James Ashby.  

Mr Ashby recently abandoned his claim against Mr Slipper after a two-year court battle.  

The conviction meant Mr Slipper was unable to return to legal practice after losing his seat in Federal Parliament.