Jailed ex-officer loses freedom bid

David Miechel received a non-parole period of 12 years after he broke into an Oakleigh home in 2003 and stole a large quantity of drugs a day before the house was due to be raided by police. He was found guilty by a Supreme Court jury in 2006 of one count of burglary, one count of theft and five counts of drug trafficking.

Police informer Terence Hodson was with him on the night, and Miechel's former drug squad colleague Paul Dale was also charged over the burglary. Hodson, who agreed to testify against Dale, was later murdered along with his wife, Christine, in 2004. The charges against Dale were then dropped.

Dale was charged with Terence Hodson's murder but the Crown withdrew the charge in June after a key witness died.

Miechel sought leave to have his conviction and sentence overturned, arguing among his reasons that the sentence was manifestly excessive on the grounds his otherwise good character and the ruin of his career as a police officer were not properly considered.

In rejecting his appeal yesterday, Justices Chris Maxwell, Marcia Neave and Lex Lasry noted the seriousness of the crime because of his job.

"It is difficult to imagine a more extreme breach of trust," the judges said. "The applicant was a police officer who, for his own benefit, was stealing drugs from premises which were the target of his own unit's surveillance. By any measure, this was lawbreaking of the most audacious and flagrant kind.

"It clearly involved premeditation. General deterrence is a very important consideration when a sentence is imposed for an offence such as this committed by a member of the police force."

Miechel will be eligible for parole in eight years.