Police Make Breakthroughs in Unsolved Cases
While many of us might think of television police dramas when we hear the words cold case, there are many unsolved cases in police jurisdictions across Australia, just waiting for breakthroughs. When it comes to unsolved cases, things like developments...
Registered Sex Offender Caught By Virtual “Child”
Last month, a Brisbane man was convicted of a number of sexual offences after he was duped into performing a sex act in front of a computer-generated avatar of a 10-year-old girl. The fake child, known as Sweetie, was created...
Should the Surrogacy Laws Be Changed?
Surrogacy laws have been in the media spotlight recently after the well-publicised case where a WA couple left their Down syndrome son with his surrogate mother in Thailand, and brought his healthy twin sister back to Australia. The controversy surrounding the...
What is the Law on Child Sex Tourism?
In general, a government makes laws about conduct within its own territory but on some occasions, these laws can extend beyond borders. While the laws of the states and territories govern sexual offences committed within Australia, child sex tourism is...
What are Unlawful Deportations as a War Crime?
There are a number of criminal activities and offences which are recognised internationally as well as in Australia. Many of these are crimes under both Commonwealth law and international laws due to their severity, or through international agreements that different...
Child Sexual Assault and the Statute of Limitations in Australia
There is no specific statute of limitations in Australia for criminal offences. However, there are rules that prevent many less-serious offences from being charged long after the incident. For example, police in NSW will not normally be allowed to press...
Catfishing: A Disturbing Type Of Recent Fraud In NSW
‘Catfish’, not only the name of a rather unattractive type of fish, is also a term increasingly being used to describe a person who pretends to be someone else online, often in the context of romantic relationships. Catfish, in the...
Sexting: A Social Trend with Serious Consequences
Mobile phones are more than just handy communication tools. Most modern phones come equipped with camera and video capabilities, as well as access to the internet. The use of mobile phone cameras to take and send photos via text has...
Should the Trials Have Been Separated in the Hughes Case?
There has been a lot of attention surrounding the trial and conviction of Australian TV star Robert Hughes, who played the father in the 1980s sitcom Hey Dad! Hughes was recently found guilty of 10 child sex offences dating back to the...
The Reliability of Confessions in the Daniel Morcombe Case
The highly publicised trial of child sex offender Brett Peter Cowan for the murder of 13-year-old Daniel Morcombe has cast a spotlight on a number of different legal issues, including the reliability of confessions. Cowan was earlier this month convicted...
