When Roseanne Beckett, the Wollongong woman wrongfully jailed for conspiring to kill her husband, was awarded more than $2 million in damages last week, her loyal supporter Mary Court of Blaxland, rejoiced in a victory for justice and "never giving up and never giving in".
In a Sydney court last Monday, Ms Beckett was awarded $2.3 million in damages against the state of NSW for malicious prosecution.
Mrs Court, an administration manager, met Ms Beckett (then Catt) 19 years ago at Emu Plains prison farm, and started the Free Roseanne campaign soon after. The core group of 12 women, including seven from the Blue Mountains, who call themselves God's girls, are women of faith who have been focused on securing justice for Ms Beckett. They would pour over transcripts, lobby parliamentarians, write letters and work with the media, anything they could do to help Ms Beckett's case.
When Mrs Court first heard Ms Beckett's story, she thought it "seemed like something out of a bad American story" and "those sorts of things don't happen in Australia."
Ms Beckett was jailed in 1991 for allegedly trying to solicit others to kill her husband, Barry Catt, as well as attempting to poison him with lithium.
She spent a decade behind bars but was released after a judicial inquiry found she had been set-up.
Ms Beckett said she was framed by former police Detective Sergeant Peter Thomas who planted a gun in her house and made threats to and intimidated witnesses in the bid to prosecute Ms Beckett.
Most of the charges against her were quashed in an appeal, but the Director of Public Prosecutions decided not to proceed with the prosecution and Ms Beckett launched a claim for damages in the Supreme Court. She was told she'd have to prove her innocence first, but in 2013 made Australian legal history in Canberra's High Court when she won the right to appeal for compensation, overturning a precedent that requires a plaintiff to prove his or her innocence in an action for damages for malicious prosecution.
Last week's awarding of $2.3 million in damages was a huge victory for Ms Beckett who 26 years ago to the day, was arrested for alleged crimes against her husband.
"She's been consumed with it all these years. It will be a huge burden off her," Mrs Court said.
"It was a huge David and Goliath battle."
Over the years, they'd go into battle, have a short break at a beach house and chuck a party, then go back into battle again.
"If I had of known then it would have taken 19 years I would have thought 'forget it', but we've taken it one step at a time," Mrs Court said.
The Crown had reportedly indicated it may appeal against the decision.
Mrs Court said the DPP would have another fight on their hands if they chose to appeal.
"There's truth and justice and there's always a way out in the end if you never give up."
- with B.C Lewis