Jurors sent out in Watson case

Canover Watson and his lawyer, Ben Tonner

(CNS): After a day and a half summarising the facts and evidence and directing the jury on the law in the crown’s case of corruption against Canover Watson, the former chair of the Health Services Authority Board, the judge sent them out to begin deliberations at 12:30 Wednesday afternoon. Justice Michael Mettyear told the six women and one man that there was no time pressure on them and they could take as long as they needed to reach a unanimous verdict.

The judge highlighted key issues for the jury and pointed to the crown’s claim that the case against Watson was that he and Jeffrey Webb conspired to cheat the public purse of funds via the hospital CarePay contract.

He directed them to the live evidence and the critical pile of documents, including the bank account payments, the projections and spreadsheets that the crown says proves that Watson and Webb were the beneficiaries of the local company that secured the hospital verification and payment system and that Watson had manipulated and cheated the system to cream off what could be millions of dollars.

The judge said it was a matter for the jury if they believed Watson’s claim that these documents were mere “what ifs” or “doodlings”, given the coincidences regarding timing and amounts corresponding to the events surrounding the CarePay contract.

Check back to CNS for the verdict as it happens.