Inquiry Into China
Our recent blog discussed what happend to the human rights lawyer, Zhang Xuez-Hong, that was “taken away”. Now Australia’s national front line push for an an independent inquiry into the COVID-19 has seen international backing. A resolution calling for an impartial, independent and comprehensive evaluation of the responses to the pandemic has officially been co-sponsored…
Armed Robbery At A Servo
At around 3am Tuesday morning, CCTV footage show two individuals who approaching a service station in Guildford. One of them is shown holding a rifle and arming it alluding to ruthlessly shoot the glass door down if the attendant does not open it. The attendant reluctantly opened the door and the two individuals move in…
Prominent Chinese Human Rights Lawyer Disappears
BACKGROUND Human rights lawyer, Zhang Xuez-hong, had been “taken away” after writing an open letter criticising the Chinese Government’s COVID-19 response and their push for constitutional change. He was forcibly removed from his Shanghai home after posting on their social media platform, WeChat. The letter was directed to all members of China’s National People’s Congress…
Can Police Arrest Me If I Am With My Mates In A Hotel Room?
Our office has been bombarded with these types of questions. This question presents a unique element to the question of police powers and property. While it may seem to be a straight forward question, the answer is not so. Police do not have unlimited powers to do as they please. There are certain things that…
Child Looks On As His Mother Is Arrested
THE STORY The difficult times have brought out the best and the worst of all of us. As New South Wales begins to relax these strict Codiv-19 restrictions, members of the public have taken a stand for their freedom. A young Sydney mother, Ms. Renee Altakrity stood firmly and exercised her rights to freedom by…
Section 10 Dismissals – A Thing Of The Past
BACKGROUND The society we live is quite blurred and this is no different from the law. Our legal system is a complex system that has evolved as our society shifts from one generation to another. Turning to the question of sentencing, when an offender pleads guilty in the Local Court, they are then sentenced by…
The Process Of Cross-Examination
BACKGROUND Cross-examination in a nutshell is the ability to question the witnesses from the other party. This is completed after the witness has done what is called ‘examination in chief’ which will be discussed below. The paramount skill that and advocate can have is identifying inconsistencies with the witnesses’ statement and exposing those inconsistencies. This…
Justice Prevails: Our Client Successfully Obtains A Section 32
THE STORY Last month, our office achieved yet another outstanding result before the Local Court. Our office successfully made submissions in support of a Section 32 application on behalf of our client which the Court confidently accepted. Our client had unfortunately gone through both emotional and physical abuse throughout their childhood which had gotten so…
Strangulation Charge Dismissed!
THE STORY As a new month begins, National Criminal Lawyers® has achieved yet another outstanding result that is second to none. Our office was instructed to act in a serious matter that has been ongoing since November 2019. The part-heard matter finally was resolved where all charges were dismissed against our client. Our client approached…
Life Sentence
Nicholas Crilley was arrested after a police chase involving several stolen cars. He was charged with 56 offences including supply of a prohibited drug, sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, rape, grievous bodily harm, deprivation of liberty and torture, which involved burning. The 34-year-old man was high on methylamphetamine throughout the course of the ordeal. The…
Fined For Fun
In New South Wales, firearms and weapons offences are very serious offences. In Australia, the legislation that compasses firearms and weapons offences are within the Firearms Act 1996, Crimes Act 1900 and the Weapons Prohibition Act 1998 laws. These laws regulate the possession, use, purchase, manufacture and supply of firearms and weapons. They also administer…
Bilal Skaf’s Attempt At Freedom Denied
BACKGROUND Mohammed Skaf has had his latest attempt for freedom knocked back by the New South Wales Parole Authority. The decision was refused based on the Serious Offenders Review Council assessment of Skaf not participating in an external leave program. This program was to assist offenders of this nature to reintegration into the community but…
Criminal Lawyer Turned Drug Smuggler Argues ‘Police Inducement’
BACKGROUND A former Sydney Criminal Lawyer and brother to John Ibrahim has pled guilty to offences relating to drug and tobacco importation. Michael Ibrahim argued yesterday that he was entrapped by undercover police. The Court heard that he was in fact ‘less culpable’ and therefore should be afforded leniency due to the police conduct and…
Another Great Result At National Criminal Lawyers®
FROM ARREST TO THE LOCAL COURT The general process of being charged by Police can be a daunting and scary time for any person. National Criminal Lawyers® takes the time to comfort you when emotions are running high during this difficult period. Our office recently achieved a result second to none for our client who…
Man Charged With Supplying Drugs From Glebe Home
THE STORY First and foremost, National Criminal Lawyers® would like to commemorate those fallen soldiers. We hope you are all safe and well especially in these difficult times. Let us use this time to reflect and commemorate those who sacrificed their own lives to ensure us Australians have a better future. On Friday 24 April,…
Howard Rollins The “Luna Cobra” Pleads Not Guilty To Aiding And Abetting Female Genital Mutilation
In 2018 New South Wales Police charged American national Howard Rollins with aiding and abetting female genital mutilation in relation to an alleged botched procedure which was carried out by his friend and body modifier, Brendan Russell back in 2016. Click here for the full story Mr Rollins is not alleged to have touched…
A Car Chase Never Ends Well
Police Pursuit Police Pursuits are extremely dangerous they are among the most challenging operational situations facing officers. These pursuits involve life and death outcomes. to the drivers, passengers, bystanders and everyone else on the road. The driver’s speed is often caused for traffic violations and cause drivers to speed recklessly. It is extremely hard for…
Yet Another Non Conviction
Mr. Michael Moussa, Principal of National Criminal Lawyers®, appeared before Sutherland Local Court this week. Our client was charged with Destruction of property pursuant to section 195 of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW). This offence is very serious and carries a maximum penalty of 5 years imprisonment. It is notably more serious that this incident…
One Crash Claiming The Lives Of Four Police Officers In Melbourne – National Criminal Lawyers®
Earlier this morning, four police officers died when they were hit by a truck after pulling over another driver in a Porsche for speeding on Melbourne’s busy freeway. Two senior constables and two constables were killed in what is the biggest loss of life within a single incident in Victoria Police History. One of the…
Gunman In Police Uniform Goes On A Killing Spree
Armed police have shot dead a gunman in Canada who went on a shooting spree killing 21 people over the weekend. The suspect was identified a 51-year-old man who was wearing an authentic police uniform and disguised his car as a police cruiser using authentic police insignia. This allowed the suspect to travel freely to…
Prison Officer Is Accused Of Being Paid To Smuggle In Contraband Into A Correctional Centre – National Criminal Lawyers®
BACKGROUND Last Sunday, a corrections officer has been charged with attempting to smuggle contraband items into a prison. The items were a mixture of Methylamphetamine (ICE), Heroin, Tobacco, Prescription medication and bullets into the correctional centre. The accused shortly after was arrested at the correctional centre and taken to Riverstone Police Station where he was…
Our support for the Community – National Criminal Lawyers®
Our nation faces unprecedented times under this pandemic we call COVID-19. The lockdown we face continues to happen and the measures have affected our way of life. Unemployment may reach up to 10 per cent with the possibility of a recession in our economy. The nation total recorded number of cases has now reached 6,612…
Australian Drug Smuggler ‘Cocaine Cassie’ Walks Free From Colombian Prison – National Criminal Lawyers
BACKGROUND The infamous Australian drug smuggler known as ‘Cocaine Cassie’ was released from a Colombian prison after spending three years behind bars. The former inmate, whose real name is Cassie Sainsbury had been incarcerated at El Buen Pastor Women’s prison after she was found guilty of attempting to smuggle 6kg of cocaine out of Colombia…
Trump has suspended funding to the World Health Organisation – National Criminal Lawyers
BACKGROUND After weeks of speculation from the US President, Donald Trump has officially suspended funding to the World Health Organisation (WHO). He announced that this suspension was pending an investigation into what he claimed is “deep concerns whether America’s generosity has been put to the best use possible. The reality is that the WHO failed…
Robbed At Knife Point
The Easter holidays was supposed to be a time to gather the extended family and celebrate. However, as you all are aware, the current COVID-19 pandemic has put a halt on almost every aspect of our lives. One can only imagine how many on the spot fines were issued by police over the long weekend….
NSW And Federal Police Ironically Breach Covid-19 Laws
The current epidemic has no doubt caused a strain on everybody. New tough penalties for not adhering to social distancing include a $1000 fine for each individual. The restrictions are challenging to everyone including police. THE STORY According to a news article by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, two senior constable police officers were issued a…
Easter Holidays Are Officially Over – No One Is Safe
2020 has been a time that is filled with mayhem and disaster. Australian’s have been through a difficult time where bushfires were once our main concern. To read the full story please click here. Now, Australians have come together to fight against COVID-19, but it seems that Australians are losing the fight. The beautiful Easter…
THE THOUSAND DOLLAR KEBAB
THE STORY We are social creatures who cannot cope unless we are in a public environment. The days of eating out, spending a day at the beach, catching up with our friends or eating a kebab to feels like such a distant memory due to the new Coronavirus (COVID-19) laws. In recent weeks, a man…
Justice Prevails or Justice Denied: George Pell has won his High Court Appeal against his charge of sex abuse convictions. Our Principal Lawyer Predicts The Outcome
THE STORY It’s been almost two years since the historic charges laid on George Pell, the highest-ranking Catholic Official to ever be publicly charged with child sexual abuse. He was convicted with one count of sexual penetration of a child and four counts of committing an indecent act with a child. The former financial controller…
Harsh Penalties For Violating COVID-19 Laws
Everyone is now supposed to be practising social distancing to slow the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). We have been told to slow the spread COVID-19, we must practice social distancing. The more we space ourselves between each other the harder it is for the virus to spread. But what does social distancing actually mean?…
COVID-19 AND OUR FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT ON BAIL
Our Current System and COVID-19 One of the major pillars to stop the spread of COVID-19 is the enhancement of social distancing in our everyday life. Earlier this week, we saw the Premier of NSW implementing further restrictions on all members of this state. This has eventually brought in unprecedented measures to our judicial system,…
Lovin Lockdown
We discussed the new restrictions that the Government have put in place in relation to Covid-19 here. It is quite understandable that many people are feeling stressed and anxious due to the new measures in place. Many are unemployed and plenty forced to work from home. Party-goers have been silenced, sporting tournaments cancelled and the…
Woman Granted Bail After Spitting At Police
A 25 year old woman was caught speeding at 120km/h through Sydney’s South West. When Police eventually caught up to her she allegedly spat in the police officer’s face and told him that she was on her way to get tested for Coronavirus. The video also shows the police officer yelling “do not spit on…
Ready for Lockdown: NSW Today has Released A New Bill to Further Restrict Movement
Background: One of the very first measures taken by the Federal and NSW government was on the 16 March 2020, when the NSW Health Minister made the official order under the Public Health Act 2010 (NSW) to force the immediate cancellation of any major events with more than 500 people. On an daily interim by…
Domestic Violence Is Now A Growing Pain Due To Covid-19.
$150 million has now been injected for counselling services for families caught up in, or at risk of, family violence. The Government has seen google searches of a high magnitude of searches for domestic violence . A new national campaign to promote services available to Australians affected by family violence during the Covid-19 outbreak will…
COVID-19 NEW MEASURES AND THE LEGALITY OF OUR NEW INITIATIVE
BACKGROUND These last few weeks have seen some unprecedented measures taken out by State and Federal Governments for the COVID-19 Virus. Travelling overseas was the first restriction while interstate flights have now followed suit in a bid to slow down the curve of this spread. As we have seen, States have swiftly brought in their…
Can Police Demand The Password To My Phone?
It is arguable that the average person essentially has their entire life on their phone. From contacts to personal photos, to financial account details. Access to a phone means access to their entire life. It is no wonder phone companies have focused on strong phone encryption. The law is relatively complex when it comes to…
Roadside Testing For Drugs And Alcohol Stopped. Yours Faithfully, Corona Virus.
Due to the lockdown practices, the Police across the country have stopped conducting static roadside tests of drivers for alcohol and drugs because of the risks to officers and the public from the coronavirus. Does this mean you are free and to go down to your local pub without no booze wagon around the corner?…
Covid 19 Causes The Courts To Close – What Happens Next?
BACKGROUND Over the past few weeks, the COVID-19 crisis has spread across the globe and has now hit Australia at its heart as the country has officially gone into lock-down. Gyms, restaurants and many other locations have now closed. On the other hand, essential places such as schools and supermarkets remain open in order to…
Clearview’s Artificial Intelligence (AI’s) Facial Recognition Tool: Australian Police Have Run Hundreds of Searches With Zero Accountability
BACKGROUND What exactly is Clearview AI? This private company uses a database of 3 billion images scraped together from Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and other websites, which allows agencies across the globe to use photos of suspects and reverse engineer to make an identity of the suspect. This has triggered responses across the board, including human…
Pretending To Be Police
The boys in blue. As children we all looked up to police as being the “good guys”. Playing cops and robbers was a fun game leading to the exhilarating moment of catching the bad guy. While it is indeed exciting and fun as children, pretending to be a police officer faces severe consequences which can…
Case Dismissed, Police Pay Costs
Yesterday, Michael Moussa’s team from National Criminal Lawyers® appeared in a hearing at Blacktown Local Court. Our client was charged with the following: Crimes Act 1900 – s61 Common assault domestic violence related; and Crimes (domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007- s14(1) Contravene prohibition order or restriction in apprehended domestic violence order. The penalty of…
MURDER! A Gruesome Video Has Surfaced Of Special Forces Brutality As Ex Australian Soldier Alleges Murder.
An extremely shocking video has emerged of what looks to be the murder of an unarmed Afghan man by an ex Australian soldier. The Afghan man seemed to be carrying only his prayer beads in his hand. The video shows that the man had no other items in his hands. The Soldier called out to…
Coronavirus (“Covid-19”) Causes Mayhem Among Australian Shoppers
THE STORY The Daily Mail reported police were called to Westfield Parramatta in relation to a ‘disturbance’. It has been alleged that one shopper has pulled a knife on another shopper during an argument over toilet paper. It was reported that no one was injured. To read the full story please click here. On another…
Parent Accused Of Stabbing Her Son Granted Bail
BACKGROUND At the end of last year our client was arrested for allegedly stabbing their child with intent to cause grievous bodily harm with a butter knife. The mature aged women was arrested and charged with wound with intent to cause grievously bodily harm, a serious indictable offence pursuant to section 33 of the Crimes…
154 Kilograms of Methamphetamine Seized
A 26 year old French-Canadian national was arrested and charged on Saturday night in Melbourne after police seized a massive 154 kilograms of methamphetamine with an approximate street value of $16 million. THE STORY The Australian has reported that due to a joint operation by the Australian Federal Police, Australian Border Force, the Australian Crime…
Drug Possession Dismissal Without Conviction
On Friday at Fairfield Local Court one of our criminal law specialists received the best possible outcome for a client charged with Drug possession. John, one of our most trusted criminal law specialists made submissions to the Magistrate that the matter should be dealt with by way of a Section 10(1)(a). This journey initially started…
Severity Appeal – Outstanding Result By An Outstanding Team
Today, National Criminal Lawyer® obtained an outstanding result for a young man who came to us asking for our expert assistance in relation to appealing the decision of a Local Court Magistrate in respect to a full-time custodial sentence that had been imposed. His custodial sentence was reduced by 50% from 2 years and 6…
Suspected Hit-And-Run, Another Tragic Loss
THE STORY It is suspected, in the early hours this morning, a 21 year-old-man has become victim to a hit and run incident. It is alleged that the man was hit by a reversing truck and dragged along the road for approximately 20 – 30 metres. According to 9news.com.au, around 1:30am this morning Police were…
Dad’s Army And The Great Leadership Fail
DAD’S ARMY As we tuck into Christmas fare and prepare to welcome a new decade, the Eastern States are enjoying cool reprieve from the heat. Spare a thought for our firies still on duty. With a thousand houses lost, they haven’t had a break, they don’t get a break. The State and Federal leadership have…
Christmas, Domestic Violence And Other Offences
Why are we talking about family law and domestic violence? The Christmas holidays are pretty stressful, especially if there has been a split in the family or there are domestic troubles. It is a time when families are under financial and emotional stress. Add alcohol and very hot days to that stress and people can…
Mistakes On Child Protection Registers Resulting In Wrongful Gaol Terms
In 2001, the NSW Child Protection Register was established. Under the Child Protection (Offenders Registration) Act 2000 (NSW), the Register holds the information and personal details of those people convicted of sexual or violent offences against Children. Those convicted of offences involving child abuse material will also be on the Register. As of 2019, the…
Police Officer Appeals Gaol Term After Endangering Domestic Violence Victim
Australian women are being murdered by husbands and partners at a rate of one a week. As the body count rises, it is the police we turn to for help and protection. We don’t expect them to betray that duty and put us in harm’s way. THE STORY This week, the Queensland Police Service was…
The Offence of “Ongoing Supply” To Remain In The Local Court
Possession and supply of illicit drugs will get you into trouble, being caught supplying drugs on multiple occasions attracts worse trouble. A special category of offence called “Ongoing Supply” is a particularly serious offence under Section 25A of the Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985. It carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or…
Father Of Former Police Minister On the Wrong Side Of The Law
THE STORY Late last month Kenneth Grant, aged 70, was charged with a hit-and-run which led to a fatality. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, it is alleged that Mr Grant was driving along Flat Road, Bolwarra before striking the late Tony Greenfield with his Mazda BT50. In addition to the accident, its alleged that…
Westpac Fails to Detect Child Exploitation Transactions
THE STORY One of our trusted banking corporations has fallen into the spotlight for the wrong reasons. Late last month, a Government agency known as Austrac alleges that the corporate giant, Westpac failed to abide by their moral and ethical duties to tackle child exploitation. The guardian paints a vivid picture stating that Westpac has…
Mobile Phone Detection Cameras: What You Need To Know
Statistics reveal that approximately 158 motor vehicle accidents involved a driver (or motorbike rider) using a hand-held mobile phone between 2012 and 2018. However, the major concern that the NSW Government held was that the number of crashes which involved the use of a mobile phones is significantly higher due to an unwillingness for motorists…
Disgraceful Sydney Café Basher
THE STORY Earlier this week a somewhat ordinary conversation turned into a traumatic assault allegedly caused by 43-year-old, Stipe Lozina on pregnant Muslim woman Rana Elasmar, aged 31 years. As many have seen, the shocking video footage shows Mr Lozina approached a pregnant muslim lady, Rana Elasmar (along with two others) who were seated at…
One Of Three Involved in Joint Criminal Enterprise and the Murder of Mick Hawi Granted Bail
The man who was accused of driving the getaway car after the murder of a former Comanchero bikie chief Mahmoud “Mick” Hawi has been granted bail. THE STORY Nine News reported yesterday that Jamal Eljaidi was granted bail, smiling as he appeared via audio visual link in the NSW Supreme Court on Tuesday before Justice…
Slapping Therapist Hong Xiao On Trial For Manslaughter Over The Death Of A 7 Year Old Diabetic Boy
Hongchi Xiao, Chinese “slapping therapist” was arrested at a London airport in a joint operation between St George Local Area Command in Sydney and officers in the UK. Mr Xiao was wanted over the death of the young diabetic boy who allegedly died a few days after attending his alternative medicine seminars in Hurstville, NSW…
Former NSW Police Behind Bars Over Blackmailing And Raping Women
The former NSW police officer, Vaughan Mark Hildebrand was sentenced last week to 20 years behind bars for blackmailing multiple women into having sex with him. THE STORY The Sydney Morning Herald reported last Friday that the former policeman tormented 15 victims in total, four of whom he scammed or bullied into having intercourse. On…
Cannabis Use Legalised By Australian Capital Territory
In Australia, cannabis possession and use are currently illegal. But in several states and territories a small amount for personal use is decriminalised. That means it’s illegal, but not a criminal offence. Cannabis has now been decriminalised in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The ACT has just become the first jurisdiction in the nation to legalise cannabis…
John Ibrahim’s Girlfriend Not Guilty Of Stashing Stolen Gun
In August 2017, Australian Federal Police discovered a stolen Glock 26 handgun and loaded magazine in a T2 cardboard box at the bottom of Ms Sarah Budge’s bedroom wardrobe in her Double Bay unit. After spending the night in police cells Ms Budge alleged that she confronted her boyfriend Mr John Ibrahim about how the…
Women Avoids Jail After Receiving $200,000 In Centrelink Payments For Dead Child
A woman has avoided jail after been sentenced in the District Court of NSW over fraudulently receiving more than $200,000 in Centrelink payments after her baby died in 1998. THE STORY It was reported that a Sydney woman who lied for 14 years about her daughter’s death to continue claiming $209,000 in Centrelink payments has…
Former Police Officer Behind Bars After Online Drug Network
It is considered to be a simple but effective drug moving operation that worked out in the open for several years. You would purchase the drug online and it would be distributed. An anonymous tip in 2018 led Police to 28 year old Nikhil Bhargava and 60 year old former police officer Kenneth Foster who…
New Spider-Man Type Gadget Adopted By Australian Police As Alternative To Taser
A new option may emerge giving Australian Police officers a new toy to wrap up (literally) a suspect without causing harm to the individual. It’s called a Bolawrap, almost like a Spider-Man-type gadget that halts suspects by entangling them in cord fired from a handheld device. This is being considered after dominating headlines in relation…
Prison Guard Dismissed For Intimate Relationship With Inmate
Prison guards of Corrective Services NSW have a duty to supervise inmates being held in Correctional Facilities in NSW such as prisons and court cells. As described on their website, they are responsible for a wide range of duties relating to the safety, security and welfare of prisoners in their care. They manage day-to-day issues and contribute…
Police Officer Charged With Possessing Cocaine At The Star Casino
It was reported recently that an off-duty police officer has been charged with possessing cocaine at Sydney’s Star Casino The Police who were working in the area and were conducting a drug dog operation at the casino about 9.30pm when they spoke to a 32-year-old man. The man was a senior constable attached to the…
Sydney Entrepreneur Faces Drug Charge after allegedly supplying 300kgs of Cocaine
Over the years drug offences have been rising, whether it be possession, supply or manufacturing drugs. It was reported recently that Sydney Entrepreneur Matthew Doyle is currently facing multiple charges which could potentially have him sentenced to a lifetime in gaol. Mr Doyle’s lived a lavish lifestyle with this wife. The couple were buying up…
Failing To Pay For Fuel
Filled your car with fuel and realised you left your wallet at home? Driven off and forgotten to pay? you could find yourself charged with a criminal offence or even facing fraud charges. With an average of over 20 fail to pay incidents per week in Blacktown alone, a group of frustrated petrol station owners…
Gel Blasters Under Fire
Banned in New South Wales and Victoria but legally declared a toy in Queensland. Legal in South Australia and no regulation whatsoever in Western Australia. Sleek and black gel blasters are next level paintball weapons giving the user a safe way to role play combat with gel balls. The stink arises because they look like…
Using Your Mobile Phone While Driving
Drivers in NSW should now be extra cautious not to use their mobile phones whilst driving. The technology being used by NSW Police is constantly being renewed and upgraded. Although it can be tempting to use your mobile phone whilst in traffic, we seem to forget that these laws are in place to make the…
Domestic Violence, Strangulation and the Law
Over the years the issue of Domestic Violence and strangulation has become an increasingly serious problem. Although close to a billion dollars has been spent on Government campaigns to fight domestic violence as well as new laws being placed, women, men and children continue to be at risk. Domestic violence takes many forms, many of…
Apprehended Violence Order Offences | Criminal Law | Offences involving Children | Offences Involving Minors | Violent Offences
Child Neglect And Abuse
Child neglect and abuse is a serious social issue and crime. It refers to physical and mental abuse of a child by a parent, caregiver etc, leading to actual or potential damage. The most recent national figures from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) indicate that during 2015-16 there were 225,487 Australian children…
I Panicked And Drove Off After Hurting Someone With My Car…What Happens Now?
It is a crime, you are in serious trouble and you need someone in your corner. An accident where someone is badly injured or killed is a major traffic accident that requires police intervention. Accidents happen, sometimes they are terrible but there are things we need to do when they occur. A “hit & run”…
Can My Child Be Charged With A Crime?
The short answer is, “it depends.” Just like adults, children can be truly awful, sometimes worse than that because they are not necessarily aware of the emotional and legal consequences. We see this in bullying at school and online or increased presence of young people in Court for crimes of violence and even reflected in…
Love Your Dog… Just Don’t Loooove Your Dog.
Getting it on with your four-legged friends is a crime in New South Wales carrying up to 14 years imprisonment! Even attempting to get cosy carries up to five years. The Crimes Act 1900 does not explicitly define the crime of bestiality. Because it is a crime that is relatively rare, it has not developed…
Offensive Conduct – Danny Lim Wins His Legal Battle
We often see people’s conduct by which we feel offended however, this may well not amount to offensive conduct within the meaning of the legislation. It was reported that Sydney sandwich board activist Danny Lim has won a legal battle over a double entendre after a magistrate blasted his arrest for offensive behaviour as “heavy-handed and…
Are The Police Abusing Their Strip-Search Powers? Know Your Rights!
Police have certain very specific powers to help them carry out their duties, most of which are set out in legislation. But how are those powers regulated? What powers do the police have and what rights and responsibilities do you, as a citizen, have in different situations? Who can arrest you and why? How should…
NSW Police Officers Face Court Over Allegations Of Sexual Assault
The beauty of living in a country like Australia, where the rule of law (the time-honoured principle that everyone is subject to the same law, regardless of their status) is upheld and no one can hope to be able to get away with committing crime, just because of who or what they are and what…
Mental Health In Criminal Proceedings
Not everyone who comes before the Local Court for punishment is guilty. From time to time a mental illness gets in the way of life in a way that brings you into conflict with police and the criminal justice system. Sadly, the mentally ill are over-represented in the system. When Mental Illness is raised, the…
Security Guard Jailed After Indecently Assaulting 3-Year-Old Girl
Cases of children being indecently assaulted are traumatic for all who may be involved and can affect the child at the centre of such an ordeal long after the issue has been resolved. With more incidents of children being taken and indecently assaulted becoming increasingly common across the country, parents hold genuine concerns for their…
Lighting A Bushfire Or Letting Fire Escape
The bushfire season is off to a cracking start this year. With dry, windy conditions there have been multiple suspicious fires on the South Coast and the arrest of young girls on the State’s mid North Coast. Bushfires are dangerous when out of control, they can destroy thousands of hectares of habitat as well as…
Defence Of Honest And Reasonable Mistake Of Fact
We have often heard the phrase, “ignorance of the law”. As lawyers we know that the law does not protect the ignorant. However, did you know that it is a full defence at law if you can satisfy that you held an honest and reasonable mistaken belief of fact? Often it is difficult to differentiate…
Defending Yourself Against False Allegations Of Violence
False accusations of violence are more common than you would expect! We see individuals regularly being victims of such accusations (commonly in domestic relationships) and as you can imagine, it’s not only daunting but also can be complicated at times, especially if you have committed no act of violence and the allegation is completely unjustified….
In The Village Of The Damned, Where To From Here?
As a Prince of the Catholic Church takes up residence in “The Village of the damned” where Victoria keeps it’s convicted child abusers, Cardinal Pell’s lawyers are poring over the 235-page ruling of the judgment of the Victorian Court of Appeal to see if there is a way to launch an Appeal to the High…
Factors The Court Considers In Determining A Sentence
Often as criminal lawyers we are asked what factors the Courts consider when sentencing an individual who has committed a criminal offence? In determining sentences for offenders, the Judge or Magistrate will consider a number of factors (which are not exhaustive), such as: The facts of the offence in question; The circumstances of the offence;…
The Gun Debate
“If there was an active shooter you would all be dead.” The adults on screen cringe from the surreal and powerfully wrong words coming from the beautiful child. It is an American ad campaign (designed by Australians) to raise awareness of the Active Shooter training children are having in American Schools. The video is available…
Local Judge In NT Compares Indigenous Man To “Primitive Person”
A Northern Territory Court Judge has made a habit of making inappropriate and offensive statements relating to Indigenous Australians whilst presiding in Courts since 2017. THE STORY Local Court Judge Greg Borchers has developed a reputation for his crude and inappropriate comments in his role on the Bench. Borchers was removed from the Alice Springs…
Woman Defrauded Centrelink Over $200,000 In Payments
A woman will be sentenced in the District Court of NSW in September over fraudulently receiving more than $200,000 in Centrelink payments after her baby died. THE STORY Alison Christie Mains is awaiting sentence in September after pleading guilty to three counts each of obtaining financial advantage by deception and defrauding the Commonwealth. The 41-year-old…
Largest ACT Drug Bust To Date
Australian authorities have found 384kg of cocaine with a street value of about $144 million concealed within an excavator. THE STORY A joint operation involving ACT police, NSW and Federal Officers, and the Australian Border Force, has become the largest drug interception co-ordinated by ACT police ever. Earlier this year, ACT Policing received information relating…
All For The … Snapchat?
Shocking footage has been released, of two young men baiting another driver to engage in road rage, resulting in the driver losing control of the vehicle and crashing into a concrete barrier. The men laughed hysterically and filmed the whole ordeal on social media application, Snapchat. THE STORY The incident occurred on the Peninsula Link…
Qld Man Held Hostage After Bizarre Home Invasion
Authorities continue to search for the five men who invaded a Qld home over the weekend, holding one man hostage and causing another to have serious head injuries. According to 2017 statistics, there were 225,900 recorded home invasions in Australia, or one every 3 minutes, taking 75% of intruders less than 5 minutes to enter…
Melbourne Train Passengers Treated To A Show
A train streaker in Melbourne was cheered on through a packed train when he did a good ol’ fashioned slip’n’slide. Video footage of this can be found here. THE STORY A naked man was filmed sliding naked down the aisle of a Melbourne train carriage. Fellow passengers cheered him on whilst he covered his genitals…
Qld Man, On The Run After Stealing Vibrators And Lollies
A Qld man has been on the run for some time now after allegedly committing multiple larceny offences. Larceny is the act of taking property or money belonging to another, no matter what the property or the value of it is. It is recorded by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research that the trends…
Protestors In Brisbane Disrupt Morning Traffic
How Far Would You Go For A Cause You Care About? THE STORY Peak hour traffic this morning in Brisbane CBD was worse than usual, with a group of about 30 Anti-Adani protestors causing traffic chaos. The plan was simple: block the road for 10 minutes, before getting out of the road for 3 minutes…
Dog Attack In Melbourne Results In Death
A dog, believed to be an American Staffordshire Terrier, reportedly “went nuts” and attacked a man and his wife, killing the man and injuring the wife. She is currently in a stable condition at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. THE STORY Not many details have been revealed of this attack, but the man’s body was found…
Three People Charged With Slavery Offences
A family of three Australians faced Court today, accused of forcing a woman from Afghanistan into “domestic servitude”. THE STORY The woman subject to the domestic servitude is from Afghanistan and the three accused of these crimes include her 39-year-old Australian husband, his 28-year-old brother and their 58-year-old mother in Merrylands, following a lengthy investigation….
Federal Court Judge Misbehaves, Complaint Imminent
A Federal Court Judge who has been under scrutiny previously, has been criticised again by the full Federal Court. THE STORY Federal Circuit Court Judge Salvatore Vasta decided a landmark case last year that saw unprecedented consequence for an employer who underpaid his staff and deceived ASIC. Leigh Jorgensen (Jorgensen), who was the owner operator…
Dodgy Landlords Ripping Off International Students
A damning report (‘the Report’) by the University of NSW’s Human Rights Clinic titled ‘No Place Like Home’ has found a lack of student housing and a tight market allows landlords to exploit a lack of knowledge about legal rights, resulting in international students in Sydney falling victim to financial exploitation. SHARE HOUSING GONE WILD…
John Jarratt Not Guilty
On Friday, a District Court Jury in the Downing Centre only took two hours to return a verdict of not guilty to the famous ‘Wolf Creek’ actor. THE STORY A former housemate alleged that the actor had sexually assaulted, or raped, her over 40 years ago. The actor remarked outside the Court that he was…
Former NSW Police Officer Pleads Guilty to 44 Sexual Offences
30-year-old former police officer Vaughan Mark Hildebrand has pleaded guilty to 44 offences against a dozen women, including intimidation, stalking, harassment, using a carriage service to solicit child pornography, and 17 counts of rape. THE STORY In a sentence hearing in February last year, the Court heard that the former police officer blackmailed four victims…
Professional Melbourne Beggars Caught In A Criminal Syndicate
The percentage of homeless people in Australia has grown significantly, by more than 14 per cent, in 5 years. It has increased mainly in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. Following a new trend in the CBD of Victoria, professional fake beggars have angered the public. While the majority of people begging in Melbourne are…
Woman Charged With Larceny And Assault
Last week, shocking footage was all over the internet of a woman attempting to steal an entire trolley full of groceries from Woolworths in Baulkham Hills. The footage shows an employee of Woolworths chase the woman and try to take the trolley from her. There was a long struggle between the women for control over…
Wollongong Man Charged With 30 Offences Today
The following was reported by NSW Police on their news page this morning: “A 24-year-old Wollongong man has been charged with 30 offences relating to malicious damage to telecommunications infrastructure across the Illawarra and South West Sydney regions. In April, police identified a series of incidents across the Lake Illawarra and Wollongong Police Districts and…
Multiple Arrests Made Today In Relation To 2017 Murder
2017 MURDER INVESTIGATION CONTINUES NSW Police have today published an update on an investigation that has been ongoing since the murder of a teenage boy in 2017. Three people have been charged over alleged commercial drug supply and participation in a criminal group as part of this investigation. The murder in 2017 occurred on Friday…
Brownie Laced With Marijuana Sold In Perth Café
A mother and her two young children had a trip to the hospital after consuming a brownie allegedly laced with marijuana from Bada Bing Café in Perth back in March. The mother, Sharon, said her five-year-old daughter Emily saw things “jumping” and her vision became impaired, after eating at the café. The family then went…
Commonwealth Offences | Criminal Law | Police Powers | Violent Offences | Weapons & Firearm Offences
Raids Result In The Arrest Of Three Men For Terrorism Offences
In breaking news today, it was reported that an alleged terror plot in Sydney was uncovered by NSW Police and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) after twelve months of investigations. The NSW Joint Counter-Terrorism (JCTT) investigation has resulted in the arrest of three men. The investigation group is comprised of the AFP, NSW Police Force,…
Common Assault – A Case Study
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RELATED – CHARGE WITHDRAWN Today we had a client who was charged with common assault, domestic violence related. His matter was listed for Hearing in the Local Court before a Magistrate. Instead of going to Hearing, the police withdrew the charge and agreed to an interim Apprehended Domestic Violence Order (ADVO) for a…
The Israel Folau Saga Continues
BACKGROUND Since our last blog discussing the issues with the homophobic and otherwise discriminatory remarks posted on social media by former rugby star Israel Folau, Folau has lost his $5 million contract with Rugby Australia and has initiated proceedings against Rugby Australia and The Waratahs for unfair dismissal, seeking $10 million in damages. His four-year…
Carjacking Led To Police Chase And Injury In South Coast NSW
The term carjacking is the targeting of thieves stealing cars however, it also portrays the act of violence with use of weapons, resulting in the possibility of injury and emotional distress to victims of this crime. As seen regularly in the media, such an act is becoming more and more frequent in Australia with most…
New Stats On Children Serving Time Just To Be Acquitted
The latest data from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics (BOCSAR) shows a 30% rise since 2014 in the number of people refused bail and then later found not guilty. More than 200 people, including 21 children, have since then been forced to wait in gaol on remand for, at times, over a year before…
Attempted Child Abduction In Sydney Suburb Penrith
Cases of child abduction are traumatic for all who may be involved and can affect the children at the centre of such an ordeal long after the issue has been resolved. With more incidents of children disappearing becoming increasingly common across the country, parents hold genuine concerns for their children. Officials warn parents to really…
NSW Lawyer Alleges Stalking And Intimidation By Strike Force Raptor
Strike Force Raptor was established in 2009 to target “groups and individuals who engage in serious and organised crime, in particular those who have a propensity for violence,” the Police website said. They are known to crack down on Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMCG), so why is it that a Solicitor from NSW is allegedly being…
AVOs – What Are They?
PURPOSE AND TYPES An Apprehended Violence Order (AVO) is a legal order made to protect a Person in Need of Protection (PINOP) from the Defendant, the person whom the order is made against. There are two different AVOs available: domestic (ADVO) and personal (APVO). An ADVO protects individuals from a spouse, de facto partner, ex-partner,…
Penrith Panthers Player Charged Over Sex Tape
The age of technology, social media and smart phones has boomed dramatically in the past 10 years. With the boom of these new advancements, it has become more common for people (including young children) to be posting and sharing inappropriate material online or simply to friends. It has also become very common for explicit sharing…
Police Brutality Successfully Appealed
ARREST OF CARL HOPPNER ON AUSTRALIA DAY TURNED VIOLENT Back on Australia Day January 26th this year, Indigenous man Carl Hoppner was arrested by Toronto Police, near Newcastle, for intimidating his wife, and drunken and aggressive behaviour. There is CCTV footage of police kicking and punching Hoppner after his arrest. Mr Hoppner later pleaded guilty…
The United States-Australia Flight Drug Smuggling Syndicate
Individuals in Australia are getting caught more frequently for smuggling and distributing prohibited drugs. These dealings in illegal drugs (cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy, methamphetamine are examples) are very serious criminal offences and carry heavy custodial sentences. It was published in 2016 that around 3.1 million Australians reported using an illicit drug. The most common illicit drug…
A Brief Overview Of Penalties
THERE IS MORE TO PUNISHMENT THAN JUST IMPRISONMENT If you are found guilty of a crime or traffic offence – the Court will sentence you to the appropriate penalty. These range from a fine only, for the least serious offences, to imprisonment, for the most serious of crimes. It is a principle established in our…
AFP Raid Journalist’s Home and ABC Offices
EVENTS UNHEARD OF IN AUSTRALIA The freedom of the press, and our democracy, is facing an unprecedented threat against it, the kind that Australia has never seen before. Two Australian Federal Police raids were conducted over two days this week, first at the home of News Corp journalist Annika Smethurst, and secondly, at the ABC…
The Northern Territory Has Had Its First Mass Shooting Ever
THE STORY Last night in Darwin’s CBD, a 45-year-old man, now known as Ben Hoffmann, allegedly used a 12-guage pump-action shotgun to shoot and kill four men at four different locations and injure one woman. He used several vehicles to visit seven different locations across the city throughout the day. At one of the locations,…
Sydney Motorcyclist Charged Over Armed Road Rage Incident
Predatory driving is on the rise! Public awareness and concern over aggressive drivers and road rage is also growing. It is argued that a growing number of people are more fearful of aggressive drivers causing road rage than drunk drivers. It was reported in Sydney that a motorcyclist has been charged following an alleged road…
Five Charged In Sydney CBD After Police Assault
Attacks on NSW Police is rising more than ever with data showing that at least one police officer is assaulted in NSW every day. Assaulting a police officer or officers is considered a grave offence, predominately because of the community service police are employed to do and for the need to send a message to…
Criminal Law | Offences involving Children | Offences Involving Minors | Public Order Offences | Violent Offences
Brawl Results In Death Of Teen
Police allege between 50 and 80 people were at a party in Chester Road, Ingleburn, on Friday night when a fight broke out. Police have been reviewing video footage of the incident that has been circulating on social media. A high number of police attended the scene, including the Public Order and Riot Squad, the…
ANZ Email Scam Allowing Criminals To Steal All Your Life Savings
Scammers are getting extremely sophisticated in their attempts to get your money and personal information. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Scams are attempts by criminals to purposefully and maliciously mislead you in order to get your money. Everyone is a potential target because scammers do not discriminate, and will…
Scott Morrison Claims 2019 Federal Election Win, Meaning Liberals Remain In Power
In what was acknowledged as a shocking result by Morrison himself, his party, the Liberal-National Coalition, has won the 2019 Federal Election with 77 seats in the Senate. Mr Morrison even referred to his win as a ‘miracle’. This was despite initial polls showing that Labor would win. It has been revealed that the votes…
Investigation Of Victorian Police After Mistaken Arrest
The Police Force has a Code of Practice for CRIME (Custody, Rights, Investigations, Management and Evidence). This Code provides members of the community as well as members of NSW Police Force with a succinct reference to the powers of Police when investigating offences. This is complemented by the Code of Conduct and Ethics which provides…
High Court to Cover New Territory In Determining Whether Indigenous Non-Citizens of Australia Can Be Deported
DEPORTING NON-CITIZENS ON CHARACTER GROUNDS The Migration Minister in Australia has the legislated power to refuse or cancel the visa of a non-Australian citizen on character grounds under section 501 of the Migration Act 1958 (Cth). What are these grounds? How does one test something that is potentially subjective such as a person’s character? Section…
WhatsApp Hack – Company Urges Everyone To Update Their App
PRIVACY CONCERNS OVER DATA CONTINUE TO RISE Over the years, as phone hacking becomes a more common issue, there is a lot of talk about protecting yourself from being a victim. For example, we are told not to download attachments or click links sent from people who we do not know, or to use strong,…
High Court Dismisses Appeal By Sri Lankan Family To Stay In Australia
A RURAL TOWN IN QLD IS CALLING FOR THE FAMILY TO NOT BE DEPORTED A Tamil family from Sri Lanka face deportation after the High Court of Australia refused them leave to appeal a decision of the Federal Court last year. The Federal Court decision confirmed the Minister for Immigration’s ruling that the family had…
Farmer Who Kidnapped and Raped Backpacker Sentenced To 18 Years
Imprisonment for luring a backpacker to his country farm to commit crime We see quite often in the media how vulnerable young females get lured into horrific situations and then get taken advantage of or used. The reported case of a European backpacker, a 24 year old woman, gives disturbing details of how her Gumtree…
Every Drink Driver To Lose Licence – Tough New Laws And Penalties
NSW Tough New Drink-Driving Laws Take Effect This Month The effects of alcohol and drugs are wide ranging and impossible to avoid, especially on the roads. Drink driving is a factor in about one in every seven crashes in NSW where someone lose their life. Of the drink drivers/riders who were killed in the five-year…
Licenced Firearm Dealer Charged With 40 Firearm Offences
In Australia, we have very strict laws in relation to firearms. Although these strict laws are in place, firearm offences have become so overwhelmingly common in recent times as we seen in the media. These offences are dealt with seriously by the Courts and carry heavy and lengthy sentences. Pursuant to the relevant law, a…
Manipulative Woman Jailed After Murder Of Fiance
CALCULATING AND PREMEDITATED – LEADING TO MURDER To be charged with murder do you have to kill the victim yourself? Well, not exactly. The law will hold you accountable for murder if you choose to take another person’s life by planning, intending or manipulating another person into murdering someone. It is reported that a woman…
$25 Million Dollar College Admissions Bribery Scandal
WHEN PARENTS HAVE TOO MUCH MONEY AND INFLUENCE The most prominent Colleges (among them being Yale University, Stanford University and Harvard University) in the US has been caught fraudulently selecting students into their programs through bribes, rigged tests and false accolades. This scam has cost less privileged students an education of their dreams and for…
Criminal Law | Offences involving Children | Offences Involving Minors | Violent Offences | Weapons & Firearm Offences
School In Lockdown After Parent Stabs Teacher
It is reported that on the first day of term back at school a teacher of Byron Bay Public School was stabbed in the face and arm with a pair of scissors by a parent. The school was in lockdown for hours and parents were called to pick up their children. Staff and especially parents…
Young Driver Warning After Tragic Accident
USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA WHILST DRIVING Over recent years, the use of mobile phones whilst driving has become an increasing issue. In particular, the last five years has seen the rise of social media phone apps and has consistently been impeding on people’s daily lives. The Millennial Generation are probably the last to go through…
Police Officers Charged With Assaulting A Pensioner
ROGUE COPS – WHAT HAPPENED? In Victoria, an incident occurring on 19 September 2017 has resulted in three police officers facing charges of unlawfully assaulting a disability pensioner on his front lawn. These officers are now disputing the charges, giving evidence defending their actions in a contested hearing that could run up to 15 days….
Israel Folau’s Comments That May End His Career
Australian rugby player Israel Folau is “known to have made one of the most incredible transitions to rugby”. Through his talent and success he has become a well-known influential public figure, with over 310,000 followers on Instagram. He played for the New South Wales Waratahs in the Super Rugby. His career, however, may come to…
Police Interviews – What Should You Do?
The Police have asked you to participate in an interview – what are your obligations, and what are theirs? THE POLICE MUST FOLLOW CERTAIN PROCEDURE WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF THIS? NSW Police must follow their Code of Practice for Crime to ensure they follow procedures correctly. If they do not conduct themselves correctly, they…
Sri Lanka Bombings
Attack on Christians, Tourists, and Humanity as a Whole The recent massacre in Sri Lanka was a shocking and devastating incident which occurred on Easter Sunday, only last week. The motive of the suicide bombings are unknown, however, many people have been arrested and government officials believe these were coordinated attacks associated with a local…
Police Powers of Arrest
WHERE DO ARREST POWERS COME FROM? When the Police are exercising their powers for an arrest, they must comply with the Law. The Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 (“LEPRA”) Part 8 deals with the statutory powers of arrest. When the Police exercise an arrest, they must comply in particular with section 201 of…
The Dangers Inmates Face In Custody
There is only so much that we are exposed to through the media about the violence and dangers that are present within the Correctional Centres of NSW. We only see the most traumatic incidents, but it is an ongoing and daily issue that Corrective Services just can’t resolve. There are all sorts of offenders such…
Fighting Your Kid’s Battles Gone Too Far
VIGILANTE FATHER TAKES MATTER INTO HIS OWN HANDS An incident on Sunday 31st March 2019 where a man allegedly attacked a 12-year-old boy at a skate park is currently being investigated by police. This occurred after a group of 12-year-old boys threatened and abused another 12-year-old boy. The abused child ran off and returned with…
Magistrate Found Guilty Of Historic Indecent Assault – Disreputing The Profession
A New South Wales District Court Jury has found Magistrate Graeme Curran guilty on seven counts and not guilty on two counts, of indecent assault, after two days of deliberations. The assaults of a teenage boy occurred in the 1980s. The victim was the son of Magistrate Curran’s friends, and they were thought to have…
Senator Fraser Anning – The Repercussions Of His Comments
EVENTS SO FAR Last week we discussed the possible culpability of Fraser Anning when he hit a teenage boy twice after having an egg slapped on the back of his head. This occurred after Senator Anning made anti-Islamic comments addressing the terror attack in Christchurch. He essentially blamed the victims themselves of the attack, stating…
Five Dock Shooting – Are Our Gun Laws Tight Enough?
FIVE DOCK SHOOTING – ONE MAN DEAD OTHER STILL FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE Individuals losing their lives in shootings in Sydney have become more and more frequent in the past few years. Yesterday a young man has lost his life and another fighting for his life at Royal Prince Alfred hospital. Why has it become…
Cocaine Ring Of A Mother, Father, Son And A Taxi Driver
COCAINE RING OF A MOTHER, FATHER, SON AND A TAXI DRIVER You hear of brothers being arrested, although you don’t hear of your average family business where a mother, father and son from Bankstown are behind bars charged over an alleged family run cocaine syndicate. The three members of the family are accused of hiring…
Dirty Car? – A $448 And 3 Points
DIRTY CAR? – YOU COULD BE FINED $448 AND LOOSE 3 POINTS! Did you know that it is an offence for drivers and registered operators of vehicles to have their rear number plate obscured? Although it is barely spoken about, it has been the law for many years now that your number plates must be…
Fireworks – Laws And Dangers
FIREWORKS – THE LAW AND THE DANGERS Let’s face it, fireworks can be really beautiful and entertaining. Nonetheless, backyard firework displays are illegal in NSW. For some time now the Government has restricted the use of fireworks without a licence. Over the years, these strict laws that have come as a result of incidents ….
Fraser Anning – Two Slaps, One Egg – What Happens Next?
FRASER ANNING, A KID WITH AN EGG, AND TWO SLAPS – ONE OR TWO ASSAULTS? Just as humanity was tested yet again by an extremist attack of hatred, this time at two Mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand on 15 March 2019, Queensland Senator Fraser Anning tested us further by publishing a controversial statement, blaming the…
NSW Police May Be Given The Power To Search Your Home And Car Without A Warrant – A Case Of Double Jeopardy?
The Liberal Parties Premier, Gladys Berejiklian has announced new laws for police to target drug dealers which would give them the power to search the homes and cars of convicted drug dealers under a re-elected Coalition government. The police have fought hard to bring such changes. The question posted is haven’t these convicted drug dealers…
Cardinal George Pell – The Appeal
HOW A JURY CONVICTED PELL Cardinal George Pell, one of the most powerful Catholics figures in the world, known for his staunch conservatism on issues including marriage equality and abortion is now before the Courts, stripped of his freedom and pride and sentenced to a period of 6 years for five charges relating to child…
Case Study | Commonwealth Offences | Criminal Law | News | Violent Offences | Weapons & Firearm Offences
The New Zealand Mosque Terrorist Attack – Far Left or Far Right?
The Christchurch massacre was a shocking incident that occurred in New Zealand only last week. Since then, the world is still trying to overcome how traumatic and devastating the incident unfolded. The man behind this massacre is named Brenton Tarrant, an Australian citizen living in Dunedin until his alleged killing spree at two Mosques last Friday…
Do Murderers And Rapists Deserve Legal Representations?
Is it fair in denying people the right to be legally represented because of the fact that they may have committed a very serious crime? A larger percentage of the community may be of the opinion that those who are alleged to have committed serious offences should not be given representations. Often as Criminal Lawyers…
The Early Guilty Plea Scheme
THE EARLY GUILTY PLEA SCHEME – IS IT JUST THAT – A SCHEME? OR AN HONEST ATTEMPT AT COURT EFFICIENCY? WHAT IS THIS SCHEME? The Early Amendment Guilty Plea Scheme is a reform to the committal procedure in dealing with indictable offences. What is an indictable offence? Basically, an offence which carries a penalty of…
What Do The Courts Look At When Sentencing Offenders?
A Judge or Magistrate must take into account a number of factors when sentencing an offender. Each offender and their personal situation are different. For a fair sentencing outcome, the Court must consider the facts of the offence, the circumstances of the offence, the subjective factors about the offender, relevant sentencing legislation, case law and…
The Increase Of Prison Guards Being Assaulted By Inmates
Over the years, the issue of Prison Guards being assaulted while on duty has increased dramatically. Although nobody can identify the real reasons as to what has given rise to this increase, we suspect that it may have some relevance to the behaviors of these Prison Guards, and particularly in the way in which they…
Murder Of Sydney Dentist – Preethi Reddy
The recent murder of 32 year old Sydney Dentist, Dr. Preethi Reddy is an ongoing investigation that has left the Nation with unanswered questions. The most prominent questions to be discussed are: was Preethi Reddy a victim of Femicide and if so, how can the Courts convict the accused to serve justice if the suspected…
Royal Commission Recommends Criminal Charges Against Banks
The Royal Commission into banking misconduct concluded with the board recommending that Criminal Charges be laid against some of Australia’s biggest banks. The Commission has also demanded that the banks return over 1 billion dollars to consumers effected by the scandal. The recommendation followed a lengthy hearing in which shocking revelations about misconduct of the…
