The hanging of Ray Williams - Part 3

One of the legal persons motioned me to pass by. I figured this must be another former employee or loyal friend who was mourning Ray's dilemma. I wondered why she wasn't joining us in the private room. Then I found out who she was.

Apparently, this woman had lost her house through the collapse of HIH and had been turning up on every occasion Ray had appeared publicly, releasing anger to the media and asking for an apology. Ray had always been publicly apologetic for any involvement he'd had in the HIH collapse, but he hadn't spoken personally to this woman on those occasions. His legal people had strongly warned him against it. They'd advised against it that day too, but Ray had overruled them.

Looking back, it was like a scene out of the New Testament. This woman came, full of anger and frustration. Ray touched her, spoke tenderly to her and she went away healed.

The scene that followed, inside the private room, was equally touching. Evidently, the legal team had a premonition for what was about to happen, as they were each shaking Ray's hand very warmly and saying what a privilege it had been to represent him. The family was a little more subdued. I suspect they, like me, were still hopeful.

I asked Ray if I could have a picture taken with him, as I'd realised that morning we'd never had one taken together. I've got it here. My eyes are full of naive optimism. Ray, I think, was more aware of what was coming.

It didn't take long. The judge spoke eloquently. He acknowledged:

• Ray's criminal negligence did not involve any deliberate deception on his part.
• Ray's actions were not the result of any desire for personal gain.
• These negligences did not necessarily have anything to do with the collapse of HIH.
• Ray not only had no prior convictions, but had led an exemplary life to this point.
• He had an outstanding record of community service, especially towards youth.
• He had received the Order of Australia for his service to the Australian community.
• Ray had already suffered enormously on account of the collapse of HIH.
• Ray was clearly very sorry for what had happened.
• There was no chance of Ray ever re-offending.

Then the judge sentenced Ray to a harsher term of imprisonment than even his enemies had envisaged: four and a half years, with a non-parole period of two years and nine months. I was aghast. The sentence just didn't fit.

The proper conclusion to the judge's preamble would have been to impose a suspended sentence or something like that. It was as if someone had got hold of his judgment before he read it out, scribbled out the last line, and inserted this abominable sentence in its place. It just didn't make any sense.

Ray was led away. The family gathered around his mother. I staggered out onto the street, where someone shoved a microphone into my face, asking for a comment. I told them I believed it was a grave injustice. They weren't interested. "But is he going to appeal?"

I found my car and drove away. Our state premier was already on the radio, saying Ray's sentence was “A good result for all Australians”. Or something like that. None of this made any sense.

I got home but Ange was out. I rang the only other bloke I could think of whom I could debrief with. It was the same mate who had earlier told me about the former HIH executive who had been looking to make a confession. I figured he'd help me make sense of it.