Ray Pace had told officer he had influenced drug trafficker's prison term

A former judge who has been charged with bribery, corruption and trading in influence had told assistant police commissioner Neil Harrison that had it not been for him, drug trafficker Darren Desira would have received a much lower jail term. Mr Desira was handed down an 18-year jail term in November last year. Taking the witness stand in the case against the former judge this morning, AC Harrison said that before the investigation into Dr Pace had kicked off, the former judge, then still in office, had asked to see him in his Chambers. He said that they had spoke about an unrelated subject and the former judge then asked him if he had seen a judgement in which he (Dr Pace), together with another two judges, had ordered the retrial of a convicted drug trafficker. He also remarked that had it not been for him, Mr Desira would have received a much lower jail term. Mr Harrison said that at first he did not see anything untoward by these remarks but then realised their importance once the investigation had gotten underway. Also testifying today was Mr Justice Lawrence Quintano, who denied he had been influenced in any way when he handed Mr Desira the 18-year jail term. Mr Justice...