DPP Presses Charges Against Police for Assault and Cover-Up
Two Melbourne police officers have been charged with ‘attempting to pervert the course of justice’ in a ruling by the Victorian Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The ruling by the DPP overturns a decision by the Victorian...
Go Directly to Jail! Victoria to Limit Sentencing Options
The Victorian government has vowed to restrict the sentencing options available to courts in order to ensure “serious offenders” cannot avoid prison. Attorney-General Martin Pakula says the Victorian public is sick and tired of offenders being handed lenient sentences. “We...
Boy Shafted by Prosecution and Own Defence Lawyer
Imagine this: you are a 15-year-old boy brought into the police station for questioning about a stabbing murder which occurred during a fight between two groups of young males. Due to your age, you are given a ‘support person’ who...
Police Blitz on ‘Lane Hogging” – Cash Grab or Road Safety Measure?
One Wednesday, 14 July, police issued more than 170 fines to motorists who didn’t ‘keep to the left’ on some of our busiest roads and motorways, including the M4, M5 and M7. During the crackdown, called Operation Compliance Two, each...
Overcoming the Bail Act’s ‘Show Cause’ Test
The Bail Amendment Bill 2014 introduced important changes to the existing bail regime in New South Wales. Most significantly, the amendments brought-in what are referred to as the ‘show cause’ provisions. The amended bail legislation, through the insertion of Section...
Three Charged Over Stabbing Murder of Teenager
Three people were charged last night with murdering an 18-year-old man after a fight erupted outside a Panania convenience store, in Sydney’s southwest. It is reported that police and ambulance officers arrived at Marco Avenue shortly after 6pm to find...
The Effect of CCTV on Crime
The installation of CCTV cameras is often seen as a sure-fire way of reducing criminal activity at a particular location. However, a growing body of research suggests CCTV may not be as effective as previously thought at deterring and solving...
No Body, No Release from Prison
Fifteen years ago, the murder of British Backpacker Peter Falconio gripped the world. The story was almost unbelievable: 8 months into a dream backpacking trip, Mr Falconio and Joanne Lees hired a Kombi to travel through the top end of...
Terrorism: Is Giving Police More Power the Answer?
84 people have been murdered and over 100 injured after an armed man drove a truck into a Bastille Day crowd on Friday. 52 people remain in a critical condition and 25 are on life support as a result of...
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...