Destroy or Damage Property with Fire or Explosive Laws & Penalties in NSW
Image credit: Ralf Neumann Sahar Adatia and Jimmy Singh. It was the bizarre moment a woman boarded a bus and allegedly lit a fire that ended up destroying the vehicle and forcing an evacuation of its driver and passengers on the NSW Mid North Coast. Around 1:15pm on Thursday 11 March 2021, fire crews by ...continue reading
Statute of Limitations in Australia
Court proceedings for a criminal or traffic charge in NSW commence in court when a ‘court attendance notice’ is issued and filed. It is also known as the formal charge. The statute of limitations in NSW, Australia, apply to certain charges called ‘summary offences’ which have a time limit for when police can charge a ...continue reading
The New NSW Local Court Practice Note: What you Need to Know When Going to Court
Ever wondered why cases keep getting delayed in our criminal courts? There can be many reasons why cases get delayed, including an inexperienced or incompetent criminal lawyer, delays caused by the prosecution and/or third parties, and/or due to an uncontrollable environment such as the coronavirus pandemic that hit our nation at the beginning of ...continue reading
Strike Force Irrabella Set Up to Investigate Domestic Violence Allegations Against Former South Sydney Rabbitohs Player
It is reported that a strike force has been set up solely for the purpose of investigating allegations of domestic violence and drugs in respect of Sam Burgess, the previous South Sydney Rabbitohs player. The strike force is reportedly called Strike Force Irrabella. Reported in The Australian, prior to the elimination final game against ...continue reading
Chinese Drug Trafficker on Death Row Escapes Lawful Custody by Tunnelling Through Sewers to Road Outside
By Sahar Adatia and Jimmy Singh. It’s the kind of plot you’d only ever see play out in a movie, except of course this was real life – in mid-September 2020, a man facing the death sentence in Indonesia for drug trafficking managed to escape from jail by tunnelling through the sewage system, and ...continue reading
NSW Police Commissioner Defends Officers Who Performed ‘Unlawful’ Arrest on Curtis Scott
By Poppy Morandin and Jimmy Singh. NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller has sought to defend the actions of police officers involved in the wrongful arrest of NRL player Curtis Scott. The bodycam footage of the arrest shown in court sparked outrage, with it depicting Scott, who was passed out drunk at the foot of ...continue reading
New Proposed Domestic Violence Laws on Criminalising ‘Coercive Control’: An Interview with Dr Karen Williams of Doctors Against Violence Towards Women
By Poppy Morandin. Individuals in a domestic relationship who psychologically abuse their partners through practices known as ‘coercive control’ could face criminal prosecution, following a bill introduced by Labor MP Anna Watson to NSW Parliament. If passed, the Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Amendment (Coercive Control—Preethi’s Law) Bill 2020 will amend the existing Crimes ...continue reading
Latest BOSCAR statistics and the need for greater focus on rehabilitation: An interview with Deputy Mayor of Dubbo and Barrister Stephen Lawrence
By Poppy Morandin. Recent release of crime statistics detailing a quarterly update for this year, have revealed that crime across most of NSW has remained stable or fallen in the two years to June 2020. A major exception to this finding was within the crime category of sexual assault, which has risen 9.4% over ...continue reading
Woman Dragged Out of Car by Hammer-Wielding Man During Frightening Carjacking Incident
By Sahar Adatia and Jimmy Singh. It was the frightening moment a woman in Adelaide was approached by a hammer-wielding man who went on to smash her car window before dragging her out of her vehicle. The attempted carjacking incident is reported to have occurred in the afternoon of 10 August 2020, when a ...continue reading
The New Laws on Mental Health in the Criminal Justice System: The Diversionary Pathway
There is an available legislative framework for a NSW court to determine criminal proceedings where the accused or defendant has mental health issues relevant to the case. This legislative framework is echoed in The Mental Health (Forensic Provisions) Act 1990 (NSW) (‘The Act’). It is a response to the increasing contact with the criminal ...continue reading