Barry Cable's Defence Claims Wife's Evidence Should Prevent Jail Sentence
The high-profile lawyer representing disgraced football legend Barry Cable has argued that his client should be saved from jail by his wife's evidence in a historical child sexual abuse trial. Tom Percy, representing the 82-year-old former Australian rules player, told the Western Australia District Court that Helen Cable's testimony delivered what he described as a 'telling blow' to the prosecution's case.
Prosecution Case Described as 'Unsalvageable'
During closing submissions on Friday, Percy declared the case against his client 'unsalvageable,' pointing to what he claimed were serious flaws in the prosecution's evidence. The trial centers on allegations that Cable sexually abused a girl aged approximately eight or nine years old during the late 1960s, when she was reportedly staying with Cable and his wife Helen for about a month at their family home.
'Our case is the allegations are simply false,' Percy told the court. He emphasized that there were no witnesses or forensic evidence to support the complainant's claims, and he argued that the woman's description of where the alleged offending took place was 'seriously flawed and casts doubt on whether the events ever happened.'
Documentary Evidence Challenged
Percy specifically challenged a series of official documents from the early 1970s that the prosecution presented as evidence that the girl stayed with the Cables. The defence lawyer claimed these documents had been misinterpreted and actually showed that Cable had no opportunity to abuse the child because the dates didn't align properly.
'The only reasonable inference is she never went to the Cables,' Percy asserted, suggesting this undermined the prosecution's entire timeline of events.
Additional Allegations Deemed Insufficient
The defence also addressed prosecution evidence from three other women who claim Cable sexually abused them. Percy argued this evidence was of limited value and couldn't salvage the case against his client because the alleged offending was different in nature and involved older child victims.
'You can't fill the unfillable void of the prosecution's case,' Percy told the court. 'The height of it is, he may have had an interest in little girls.'
Wife's Testimony Praised as Credible
Central to the defence argument was the testimony of Helen Cable, whom Percy described as a 'credible, reliable and remarkable witness' who had provided clarity about events from decades past.
'The telling blow in this case was Helen Cable's evidence,' Percy declared. 'The prosecution case simply can't survive.'
Prosecution Presents Counter-Arguments
Prosecutor Kim Jennings presented contrasting arguments, describing Cable's alleged offending as brazen and asking Judge Michael Bowden for latitude regarding the complainant's inability to accurately identify the location where the abuse allegedly occurred.
'She is remembering back 60 years and remembering as a small child,' Jennings explained. 'This is a child who had a pretty traumatic start to life. What stands out is the sexual abuse, not the details of where it happened.'
Jennings challenged Helen Cable's credibility, suggesting she had not been truthful while giving evidence and had attempted to minimize her family's links to the child in an effort to protect her husband.
Complainant's Detailed Recall
The prosecutor emphasized that the complainant had recalled intimate details about the abuse she allegedly endured and should therefore be believed. Jennings also addressed why the woman didn't complain at the time, stating that Cable had allegedly told her she wouldn't be believed because he was Barry Cable.
'Barry Cable thought he was invincible,' Jennings told the court. 'He had a very successful football career, and he was quite famous in the community.'
Charges and Previous Findings
Cable has denied five counts of indecent dealing with a girl aged under 13 and two counts of unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl under 13, with the alleged offenses occurring between December 31, 1966 and December 31, 1969.
This criminal trial follows a previous civil trial that found Cable had abused a different girl over five years from 1968 when she was aged 12. The civil trial judge noted there was compelling evidence the former footballer had violated other children, though Cable denied these allegations.
Football Legacy Tarnished
Following an illustrious playing career in the 1960s and 1970s for Perth and East Perth in the WAFL and North Melbourne in the VFL, Cable was stripped of his Australian Football Hall of Fame honors after the civil trial findings. He had also coached in both leagues before the allegations surfaced.
Judge Michael Bowden has reserved his verdict until a date no later than April 17, leaving both the prosecution and defence to await the outcome of this high-profile case that has captivated the Australian sporting community and legal observers alike.
