Peter,
The law is an arse.
But we can not allow the cops and lawyers esp the defence ones just make things up or change the rules to suit themselves. That is what dictators and facists do.
Yes, he should be held and retried, and very very very slowly.
The cops and prosecutors involved should all be charged with perverting the course of justice and immediately held without bail until trial. They have committed a most serious crime and should have no expectation of mercy. They claim they were unaware it was wrong- what bulldust. That is virtually impossible. If they did not know then every conviction in their career would be completely suspect.
Society can not allow the courts to be used and abused by the police, ever.
Yes, it sucks some pricks might get out, Karma might catch them.
And Simon Overland claims he knows nothing and never even had diaries of it all- until they find them in a search. Throw the absolute full weight of the Law and crush the criminal cops if found guilty.
Now some will say - they deserve just a slap on the wrist, after all they served us for so long etc.... NO. They deserve the utmost contempt and full time prison. They are the ones who rule over us and have extraordinary power imbalance in their favour.
Just like priests or teachers abusing students. They must be expected to hold a higher standard and punished accordingly.
The danger they may face in prison is no excuse for a slap, they can stay in confinement safely. They say that about everyone else. The rule of law is sacrosanct.