Paul Pisasale

Paul Pisasale
Born (1951-09-09) 9 September 1951 (age 73)
NationalityAustralian
OccupationFormer mayor of the City of Ipswich
Criminal charge(s)Extortion, corruption, sexual assault, perjury, fraud, drug possession, secret commission by an agent, and fraud of property
Criminal penaltyInitial charges resulted in two years in jail to be suspended after one year, and an additional sentence for seven and half years in jail for subsequent charges

Paul Pisasale is a former mayor of the City of Ipswich in Queensland, Australia, and convicted extortionist.[1][2] Pisasale was mayor of Ipswich from 2004 to 2017, making him one of Queensland's longest-serving mayors, and was last elected in 2016 with 83.45% of the popular vote.[3] He resigned as mayor in 2017 following a raid on his office by the Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission.[4] He was subsequently charged with corruption in 2017.[5] He was committed to stand trial on a number of other charges in 2019, including charges of sexual assault where he was accused of "unlawfully and indecently" assaulting an Ipswich woman, and charges of perjury.[6][7][8][9] Pisasale subsequently pleaded guilty to these charges which included two counts of sexual assault, official corruption, unlawful drug possession, 27 counts of fraud, secret commission by an agent, and fraud of property.[10][11]

Criminal convictions

Pisasale was convicted of two counts of extortion on 24 July 2019 where he was found to have impersonated a private investigator as part of a plot to unlawfully obtain $10,000 from another individual.[12][13][14][15][16] His appeal against those convictions was dismissed in March 2020.[17][18]

Pisasale later pleaded guilty to a range of additional charges including perjury, fraud, corruption, and sexual assault. His criminal behaviour was described as "systematic corruption and failings" whereby Pisasale "exploited and manipulated" his position in the Council including the commission of sexual assault offences within his former official chambers.[19]

Pisasale was initially sentenced to two years in jail to be suspended after 12 months for his extortion offences, and commenced his sentences at the Wolston Correctional Centre, where he was admitted to hospital from an exercise-related injury within days of his incarceration.[20] He was sentenced to an additional seven and a half years in jail for the crimes he admitted in 2020, and was eligible for parole from October 2022.[21] Pisasale was released from prison on parole as of December 2022.[22]

Honors and other awards

In 2010, Pisasale was awarded the title of "Queensland Local Hero" by the National Australia Day Council.[23]

2012 saw Pisasale receive the Queensland Civil Justice Award for going beyond the call of duty in the 2011 floods.[24]

In 2013, he was also awarded a Life Sciences award for championing master-planned communities, job creation, protection of the environment and being an advocate for education by Life Sciences Queensland, an industry-led organisation which works with government and industry.[25]

References

  1. ^ Vujkovic, Melanie (24 July 2019). "Former Ipswich mayor found guilty of extortion while posing as private investigator". ABC News. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  2. ^ Sibson, Ellie; Vujkovic, Melanie (25 July 2019). "Former Ipswich mayor sentenced to two years in jail for extortion". ABC News. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  3. ^ "2016 Ipswich City Council - Mayoral Election - Election Summary". results.ecq.qld.gov.au. Archived from the original on 2 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  4. ^ "Ipswich Mayor resigns in hospital gown, amid CCC investigation and '$50,000 cash' find". ABC News. 6 June 2017. Archived from the original on 18 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  5. ^ Robertson, Joshua (10 October 2017). "Former Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale charged with corruption". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019 – via www.theguardian.com.
  6. ^ Mckenna, Kate (16 September 2019). "Former Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale charged with sexual assault, committed to stand trial for perjury". ABC News. Archived from the original on 16 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019 – via www.abc.net.au.
  7. ^ Murray, David (16 September 2019). "Former Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale to stand trial on sexual assault, fraud, perjury charges". Archived from the original on 28 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2019 – via www.theaustralian.com.au/.
  8. ^ "Pisasale charged with 19 offenses including sexual assault perjury". 16 September 2019 – via www.dailytelegraph.com.au.
  9. ^ "Former Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale facing sexual assault charges". 16 September 2019. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019 – via AAP.
  10. ^ "Former Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale pleads guilty to sexual assault, perverting the course of justice". ABC News. 24 September 2020. Archived from the original on 24 September 2020. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  11. ^ "Former Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale pleads guilty to more than 30 offences including two sexual assault charges". 24 September 2020. Archived from the original on 28 September 2020. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  12. ^ "Paul Pisasale, controversial former mayor of Ipswich, found guilty of extortion". The Guardian. Australian Associated Press. 24 July 2019. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019 – via www.theguardian.com.
  13. ^ Stone, Lucy (24 July 2019). "Paul Pisasale found guilty of extortion". Brisbane Times. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  14. ^ "Extortion verdict cuts down dynamo mayor". Australian Financial Review. 24 July 2019. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  15. ^ "Former Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale found guilty of extortion while posing as a private investigator". The New Daily. 24 July 2019. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  16. ^ "Secret tapes reveal former mayor's extortion attempt on scorned escort's lover". www.9news.com.au. 25 July 2019. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  17. ^ "Paul Pisasale loses extortion convictions appeal". Sterling Law. 4 March 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  18. ^ Doyle, Michael (10 March 2020). "Ex-Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale loses conviction appeal". The Sydney Morning Herald. Australian Associated Press. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  19. ^ "Former Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale pleads guilty to sexual assault, perverting the course of justice". ABC News. 24 September 2020. Archived from the original on 24 September 2020. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  20. ^ "Jailed ex-mayor hospitalised after hurting himself in prison exercise yard". ABC News. 28 July 2019. Archived from the original on 30 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  21. ^ "Former Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale sentenced for sexual assault, corruption charges". ABC News. 30 September 2020. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  22. ^ "Disgraced former Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale released from prison". ABC News. 12 December 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  23. ^ "Australian of the Year Awards". www.australianoftheyear.org.au. Archived from the original on 22 March 2020. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  24. ^ "ALA Civil Justice Award recipient recognised for flood assistance - Australian Lawyers Alliance". www.lawyersalliance.com.au. 17 February 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  25. ^ pfoley (1 November 2013). "Honour for Pisasale is city's to share". Observer. Retrieved 13 January 2021.