Supreme Court, George Street, Brisbane

News of the day

Brisbane Courier, Friday 6 December 1895, page 4

SUPREME COURT SENTENCES.

Two young men, named Charles Wall and John O'Keefe, convicted of garrotting in Brisbane on the 30th September last, were sentenced by his Honour the Chief Justice yesterday. Wall, who had brought a criminal record from Sydney, was sentenced to eighteen months' imprisonment, and ordered to be whipped privately twice with thirty strokes of the cat. O'Keefe, who is quite a youth, received a milder sentence of twelve months' imprisonment with one flogging of thirty strokes. His Honour spoke in unmistakable terms of the way In which he intended to deal with every case of garrotting which may come before him, and raised his voice so that it could be heard in the furthest corners of the gallery. Two confinees in the St. Helena Penitentiary, charged with an attempted offence while in gaol, received sentences of five and two years. Harry Williamson was acquitted on a charge of larceny, but William Wardle, who had pleaded guilty to that offence, received a sentence of six months. The only case on the calendar remaining is that of Beattie Loder, committed for sentence, which will be dealt with this morning.

Background

The Supreme Court Constitution Amendment Act of 1861 declared the existence of the Supreme Court of Queensland.

The court was initially located in the chapel of some disused convict barracks in Queen Street. It moved to its present site in George Street in 1879. This had originally been the site of the first hospital at the settlement of Moreton Bay.

In 1968 the Supreme Court was set on fire and damaged beyond repair. The building was demolished later that year.

While it was being rebuilt, the Supreme Court sat in various locations around the city until its present home in the George Street complex was officially opened in 1981.

 

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