Your views- David Bain | Canterbury Opinion | Local Voices from Canterbury, New Zealand

David Bain could receive more than $2 million if a judge appointed to consider his compensation case finds in his favour. After serving 13 years in jail, Bain was acquitted in a 2009 retrial when a jury found him not guilty of murdering five members of his family in Dunedin in 1994. The Star asked people if they thought Bain deserved reparation and why.  

Lucy Hawkins, 23, retail assistant, St Albans, felt Bain should be compensated. "I think he deserves the money. He did spend half his life in jail for something it appears he didn't do. He deserves to get some money for that. They can't give him the time back. He's probably going to have to live off that for the rest of his life."  

Lynn Leggett, 48, retail assistant, Shirley, was against Bain receiving any compensation. "No, because I think he's possibly guilty."  

Michelle Ryder, 36, teacher, Avonside, believed Bain should receive reparation for being wrongly imprisoned. "I think it's important something is done to make amends for that because releasing him isn't enough. It's hard to say how much, how do you put a value on that time?"  

Ken Twemlow, 65, retired, Riccarton, supported Bain being awarded compensation. "I think if he's innocent and he's served a lot of time in prison I think he deserves it. Good on him, I say. But only he knows whether or not he killed his family."  

Rosie Conaghan, 24, energy advisor, Papanui, felt Bain deserved compensation. "He spent time in jail for something he didn't do so he deserves the money. He spent more than 10 years in jail for something he was found not to have done so he's earned it."  

Jasmine Morgan, 23, student, Riccarton, said Bain should "definitely" be compensated. "He's lost a significant amount of time in prison. He's missed out on doing things most people would've done, get a house, build up assets, he hasn't had a chance to do that because he's been locked up."  

Sue French, 51, general practitioner, Lyttelton, believed since he was acquitted he should receive some compensation. "I think the average person doesn't have the information to know the true story. I don't know, I suppose since he was acquitted by the justice system I suppose he must deserve something."   

Neil Lintott, 57, biomedical technician, Casebrook, was for Bain receiving compensation. "He had a loss of privileges for some time, he's got to get something. How do you put a price on it, I don't know. I'm not sure of the value."