Steve Carter has resigned.

The Australian reports:

THE prosecutor in the Aurukun gang rape case, who sparked controversy when he described sexual offenders as “naughty” and did not recommend nine males who raped a 10-year-old girl be jailed, has resigned.

Former Tasmanian police officer Steve Carter was hired as a Crown prosecutor in Cairns in 2000 but demoted to legal officer 18 months ago over unspecified work issues.

Last month The Australian revealed Mr Carter had not pursued jail terms for nine males who gang-raped the girl at Aurukun in 2005, prompting Director of Public Prosecutions Leanne Clare to launch an internal investigation.

Not being a member of the Queensland Law Society nor the Queensland Bar Association, Mr Carter had no one to defend him against the international outrage, unlike District Court judge Sarah Bradley, who received support from various quarters.

Mr Carter, whose daughter was upset by the public reaction, denied he was the “the fall guy” but claimed the full story had yet to emerge.

He suggested the girl, who had been abused as a child and let down by the Department of Child Safety, was highly sexualised and consented to sex “in a non-legal way” in exchange for alcohol and cigarettes.

Categories: gender & feminism, law & order, violence