NSW Police Aim to Conduct 200,000 Mobile Drug Tests Representing an Increase From the Previous Year
By Poppy Morandin and Jimmy Singh. It has been revealed that NSW Police have set a target to detect almost 300,000 crimes this year and are using area-specific goals to achieve this result. The approach covers a number of detections in numerous categories of crime including theft, robbery, sexual assault, and drug detection. The ...continue reading
Law on Correctional Employees Engaging in Sexual Conduct or Intimate Relationship with Inmates in NSW
By Sahar Adatia and Jimmy Singh. A Sydney prison guard is facing the grim possibility of two years behind bars over an alleged sexual relationship she had with an inmate that continued for several months in the confines of a Western Sydney jail. Melissa Goodwin was provisionally stood down in May 2020 by her ...continue reading
Jury Trials Return to NSW After a 3-Month Freeze
By Poppy Morandin & Jimmy Singh. With COVID-19 related restrictions easing and business seemingly returning to normal for most of New South Wales, the District Court has begun criminal trials before juries again. The return will be done under strict measures including temperature checks and screening questions for jurors, in order to prevent individuals ...continue reading
Law on Police Use of Pepper Spray in NSW
By Poppy Morandin & Jimmy Singh. The deployment of pepper spray on protestors following the Black Lives Matter rally in Sydney, has sparked concerns regarding the way in which the NSW Police Force uses such a tool. The day was largely characterised as a peaceful protest, following the public assembly’s last-minute authorisation from the ...continue reading
Law on NSW Police Arrest Powers
In NSW, a police officer is allowed to use force when exercising their lawful powers. However, it isn’t that simple. According to section 230 of Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 (NSW), police are allowed to use such force as is reasonably necessary for purposes of exercising one of their powers as a ...continue reading
NSW Police Facing Class Action Over Strip Search Practices
By Poppy Morandin & Jimmy Singh. Redfern Legal Centre in collaboration with Slater and Gordon have recently announced their intention to mount a class action against NSW Police in relation to the unlawful utilisation of search powers, particularly strip searches. They seek to obtain compensation for the supposed thousands of individuals that have been ...continue reading
Dental Worker Impersonates Police Officer While on a 12-Hour Rampage
By Sahar Adatia and Jimmy Singh. On 19 April 2020, a gunman disguised as a police officer went on a 12-hour rampage in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, killing at least 17 people in what was gravely hailed as the worst act of mass murder in the country’s history. Gabriel Wortman, a 51-year-old ...continue reading
When Are You Allowed to Use a Laser Pointer in NSW?
By Sahar Adatia and Jimmy Singh. When a police helicopter is fervently flying around trying to track pursuits or search for a wanted suspect, the bright shine of a laser pointer is the last thing a pilot wants to see. It might sound inconsequential, but even a small, battery-run laser pointer can be capable ...continue reading
How Does COVID-19 Affect Bail Applications in NSW?
By Fouad Awada and Jimmy Singh. On 30 March 2020, the Supreme Court of New South Wales handed down a decision granting conditional bail to Mr Abdul Rakielbakhour who was accused and charged with serious domestic violence charges. Mr Rakielbakhour was arrested and charged with common assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, alleged ...continue reading
COVID-19 – Key Changes Made by District Courts Affecting all Criminal and Traffic Cases in NSW
From 30 March 2020, the District Court have implemented a number of changes to the way in which criminal cases are heard during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to remain up to date as arrangements are likely to continue to change. If you have a criminal matter in the District Court currently, please ...continue reading