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 14 April in Glenfield. Brayden Dillon, a 15-year-old boy was found in his bed with a gunshot wound to the head. He was found by Police, treated by paramedics at the scene then taken to the Westmead Children’s Hospital where he sadly later died.
The investigation which has followed this event was launched by detectives from the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad, assisted by the NSW Crime Commission and South West Metropolitan Region, under Strike Force Wongala. The investigation so far has seen seven people being charged with offences and they still remain before the Courts.
ARRESTS TODAY
The update today is that Strike Force Wongala, along with the Criminal Groups Squad, a 62-year-old man, a solicitor from NSW, was arrested at his home in Glebe before 8am. Police then executed search warrants at the Glebe home, a cell within a Correctional Centre at Goulburn, and a home at Hazelbrook.
Police later arrested a 40-year-old man at Goulburn Police Station and a 49-year-old woman at a home in Ashmont.
INMATE ARRESTED
NSW Police announced today the 40-year-old man is a prison inmate at Goulburn and was charged with knowingly direct activities of criminal group, supply prohibited drug (commercial quantity), knowingly deal with proceeds of crime, and hinder apprehension person who committed serious offence. The allegations to follow in Court will include that he utilised legal contact calls with a solicitor to direct a syndicate involved in the supply of methylamphetamine across the state between October 2017 and October 2018. We are presuming that the solicitor involved is the man from Glebe who was also arrested. The man, who was refused bail today, will also be alleged to have organised payment to another man to assist him while he was wanted by police for serious firearm offences.
SOLICITOR ARRESTED
NSW Police stated “the 62-year-old solicitor who has not been named was charged at Newtown Police Station. He has been charged with the following offences: knowingly direct activities of criminal group, participate in criminal group contribute to criminal activity, take part supply prohibited drug (commercial quantity), knowingly deal with proceeds of crime, hinder apprehension person who committed serious offence, and hinder discovery of evidence re serious indictable office.” He was refused bail.
WOMAN ARRESTED
NSW Police said “the woman was charged with participate criminal group contribute criminal activity and supply prohibited drug (commercial quantity). It has been stated that police will allege in Court that the woman supplied 400g of methylamphetamine in the Riverina region. She was refused bail to appear at Wagga Wagga Local Court today.”
ANOTHER SOLICITOR WAS CHARGED LAST YEAR RELATED TO THIS INVESTIGATION
In October last year, another Sydney-based solicitor was charged over his alleged role in the murder of the teenager. This solicitor was named Ali Abbas by the ABC. He had been charged with accessory after the fact to murder, knowingly participate in criminal group assist crime, and do act with intent to pervert the course of justice. Police allege that he coordinated and facilitated the provision of false affidavits on behalf of others and passed information relating to the murder between various people. He was also charged with unlawfully bring anything into place of detention. He allegedly took a mobile phone into a correctional facility to be used by an inmate.
To read our blog post about this matter and perverting the course of justice, click this link.
THE LAW
Amongst the many charges that will be laid throughout this investigation, some notable ones include:
Section 18 Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) (the Act) Murder
Suffice to say murder is committed where the offender:
- is of sound mind and discretion (i.e. sane);
- unlawfully kills (i.e. not self-defence or other justified killing);
- any reasonable creature (human being);
- in being (born alive and breathing through its own lungs
- under the Queen’s Peace;
- with intent to kill or cause grievous bodily harm (GBH).
Prosecution of a murder charge may rely on the time of death following injuries inflicted on an individual – for example, if injuries were inflicted and the victim died more than three years following the injury.
Murder and manslaughter cases can be extremely complex – and it is vital to seek expert legal advice if there is a possibility of being charged with murder or manslaughter, including manslaughter charges brought as a result of causing death by dangerous driving.
For more on case law and jurisdiction, check out our dedicated page here.
Section 93T of the Act: Participation in Criminal Groups
(1) A person who participates in a criminal group is guilty of an offence if the person:
(a) knows, or ought reasonably to know, that it is a criminal group, and
(b) knows, or ought reasonably to know, that his or her participation in that group contributes to the occurrence of any criminal activity.
Maximum penalty: Imprisonment for 5 years.
(1A) A person who participates in a criminal group by directing any of the activities of the group is guilty of an offence if the person:
(a) knows that it is a criminal group, and
(b) knows, or is reckless as to whether, that participation contributes to the occurrence of any criminal activity.
Maximum penalty: Imprisonment for 10 years.
Our page on these offences can be found here.
The offence of drug supply is also being faced in this string of charges.
You could be charged with supplying a drug of dependence if you are caught:
- With a certain quantity of the prohibited drug
- With preparing (such as dividing the drugs into smaller packages) or manufacturing a drug
- Selling the drug
- Buying drugs for a friend.
For more on this and other drug offences, check out our informative page.