Sydney Solicitor Cleared of Sexual Assault Allegations
A solicitor employed with a criminal law firm in Sydney’s west has been cleared of all sexual assault allegations made against him. 29-year old criminal defence lawyer Steven Mercael was charged with aggravated sexual assault as well as the lesser...
Midnight House Arrest Politically Motivated, Says Student Housing Activist Cherish Kuehlmann
UNSW SRC education officer Cherish Kuehlmann had four NSW police officers bash on the front door of her Eastlakes apartment at midnight last Saturday and arrest her in relation to a housing crisis protest directed at major banks in Sydney’s...
Should Parents Who Unintentionally Leave Children to Die in Hot Cars Be Charged with Involuntary Manslaughter?
A Sydney man won’t be charged over the death of his 3-year old son who he left in a hot, closed car all day. While social media has gone into overdrive with its typical judgemental comments, some might argue that...
Facebook Administrators Must Not Tolerate Hate-Speech or the Incitement of Violence
The founder of a Facebook community crime page has had his account suspended by the social media giant for breaching its guidelines. The social media page, called Action for Alice, is a forum for the Alice Springs community dealing with...
Political Prosecutions: Abusing the Justice Process for Political Advantage
The former first minister of Scotland’s devolved parliament was served papers which read, ‘Her Majesty’s advocate v Alexander Elliot Salmond’. It was a prosecution on 14 sexual offences alleged to have occurred whilst Mr Salmond, the former leader of the...
Social Media Influencers Under Investigation for Fraud
Australia’s securities regulator, the Australian Securities and Investment Commission, or ASIC, is investigating more than 100 ‘influential’ social media accounts over reports of misleading and false advertising that has cost those who buy in millions, and could amount to the...
Interpreting Blood Stain Patterns: Science or Speculation?
In the TV-show Dexter, the titular character leads a double life as both a forensic scientist and a serial killer. Dexter’s unique forensic speciality is bloodstain pattern analysis, which is an attempt to help in the reconstruction of violent crimes...
What Is Voluntary Manslaughter?
In 2010, a street-based sex worker named Patricia Mary Butler was solicited by a client named Brendan Potter on the corner of Bourke and William street. After performing sexual acts on Mr Potter in Rushcutters Bay Park, both parties went...
Former Sexual Assault Suspect Sues Media Giants for Defamation
A man whose career and reputation were ruined through heavily-biased media coverage of a claim of sexual assault in Parliament House, Canberra, has commenced defamation proceedings against mainstream media companies and its reporters. Bruce Lehrmann has filed two civil claims...
What is the Definition of Sexual Consent in New South Wales?
The Crimes Legislation Amendment (Sexual Consent Reforms) Act 2021 came into effect on 1 June 2022 (NSW), repealing the definition of sexual consent contained in section 61HE of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) and inserting a new Subdivision 1A into Division...
