NSW Court of Appeals Overturns Convictions of Kathleen Folbigg, Bringing 20-Year Legal Battle to an End

On Thursday, the New South Wales Court of Appeals overturned all convictions against Kathleen Folbigg, a 56-year-old woman who had been found guilty of killing her four children in 2003. The pardon was granted at the direction of the New South Wales state government, based on new scientific evidence that suggested the children may have died from natural causes.

The courtroom erupted in applause and Folbigg wept after Chief Justice Andrew Bell overturned the three convictions of murder and one of manslaughter. The pardon was seen as the quickest way of getting Folbigg out of prison before an inquiry into the new evidence could be conducted.

Folbigg had been in prison since 2003, when a jury found her guilty of killing her four children, aged between 19 days and 19 months, between 1989 and 1999. She had always maintained her innocence, and the new evidence suggested that the children may have died from natural causes.

The overturning of Folbigg’s convictions marks the end of a 20-year legal battle. She was released from prison in June, and the overturning of her convictions is the final step in her exoneration. Folbigg’s case has been a source of controversy in Australia, and her pardon has been welcomed by many.