Merit Program: The NSW Courts Diversionary Pathway for Drug & Alcohol Addicts
What is the MERIT program? The MERIT program is an opportunity for those who suffer from drug or alcohol addiction, who end up going to court to face criminal charges in the Local Court to assist in rehabilitation. ‘MERIT’ is an abbreviation for ‘Magistrates Early Referral Into Treatment’. A plea of ‘guilty’ or ‘not ...continue reading
Former Stock Trader Admits to Getting Boozed at Lunch Before Committing Armed Robberies is Sentenced
Sahar Adatia and Jimmy Singh. Umm, well, this is awkward. A former stock trader has admitted to police, some 40 years later, that he would “get boozed at lunch time”, and carrying a water pistol and wearing disguises including fake moustaches and sunglasses, would drunkenly rob Sydney banks. Ross McCarty, now aged 71, last ...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
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
Law and Penalties for Robbery Offences in NSW
By Sahar Adatia and Jimmy Singh. A 27-year-old woman from Melbourne who coordinated a ruthless home invasion after finding out that her friend, a cancer patient, had received a six-figure inheritance, has been sentenced and will spend at least four years behind bars. It is reported that in April last year, Kristy Patricia Avdulla ...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
Concerns Reignited for Prisoners Amid Further Outbreaks of COVID-19
By Poppy Morandin. There are reportedly 70 inmates in lockdown within Silverwater Correctional Complex after coming into close contact with a staff member who has tested positive for COVID-19. Within their advocacy efforts, The Greens have issued an open letter to Anthony Roberts, Minister for Corrections detailing the “significant concerns…about the lockdown at Silverwater ...continue reading
Law on the Age of Criminal Responsibility in NSW: An Interview with Greens MP David Shoebridge
By Poppy Morandin and Jimmy Singh. Despite a strong campaign to raise the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 14, the decision has been deferred to 2021, following concerns that further work needs to be done regarding processes and services for children who exhibit offending behaviour. The issue was discussed at the meeting ...continue reading
Two Teenagers Charged with Robbery While in Company in Bondi Junction
By Sahar Adatia and Jimmy Singh. Two boys in their teens have been charged over an alleged armed robbery of an EzyMart convenience store in Bondi Junction in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, which took place last month. According to a statement released by NSW Police Force, just before 3am on 17 June 2020, officers attached ...continue reading