Robbery Rife in Rio
As the Olympic Games get into full swing and all eyes focus on Rio, the city’s underbelly has its sights firmly set on tourists. A Brazilian newspaper has reported that an average of 15 foreign tourists are falling victim to...
Judge Repeatedly Calls Lawyer “Stupid” and “Incompetent”
Transcripts from a Victorian courtroom detailing a heated exchange between a lawyer and judge have been at the centre of an appeal by Michael Cook, who appealed his armed robbery conviction due to the behaviour of the judge. Mr Cook...
PokemonGo Used to Commit Robbery
A number Missouri teenagers are alleged to have used the popular PokémonGo smartphone app to lure a dozen victims into secluded areas before robbing them. Three teenagers have been charged so far with robbery and ‘armed criminal action’, and a...
If It Smells Like Sh#%, You Must Acquit
How could anyone forget American defence lawyer Johnny Cochran’s legendary line, ‘If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit’? There are all sorts of explanations about why the glove produced as an exhibit during the trial of OJ Simpson didn’t fit -...
Examples of Why Crime Doesn’t Pay
Just for laughs, we’ve rounded up some of the funniest (attempted) offences from around the globe. 1. A low high A trio of thieves breaking into a home discovered three jars of cocaine, and couldn’t believe their luck! They took...
Danger: ‘Superpredators’ Are Coming, Again!
As reported in an earlier blog, Victorian Chief Police Commissioner Graham Ashton claims that a rise in that state’s crime is largely attributable to the ‘Grand Theft Auto Generation’ – young criminals who mimic the stylised crimes in violent video...
43 Years in Isolation: Cruel and Inhumane Punishment?
It’s been a long and lonely road to freedom for Albert Woodfox - who, until his recent release, was America’s longest-serving solitary confinement prisoner. Mr Woodfox had been kept in isolation since 1972, when he, along with co-accused Herman Wallace,...
Australia’s Most Famous Bank Robbery
Bank robberies and dramatic ‘hold-ups’ make for gripping movie plots - but to what extent does this mirror real life? Just last week, a botched bank robbery took place in Sydney’s CBD, right in front of visiting celebrity Kelly Osborne,...
New Zealand’s ‘Three Strikes and You’re Out’ Policy
Since 2010, New Zealand has implemented a ‘three strikes policy’ to crack down on repeat offenders. The laws take power away from the courts when it comes to determining penalties for those convicted of multiple serious offences, and can lead...
Bizarre Ways of Getting Caught Committing Crimes
It’s usually the prosecution’s job to dig up evidence against the defendant - but every so often, a set of unusual circumstances can help make the prosecutor’s job a lot easier. Here are a few strange ways that defendants have...
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