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
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
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
What are the Rules Around NSW Police Strip Searching a Person?
241,000 is the number that has been given to NSW Police Officers, representing the quota for conducting personal searches, including strip searches on people for the 2019 financial year. In fact, in 2019, NSW Police failed to meet its quota by just under 2000 searches. NSW Greens managed to obtained the shocking revelation through the ...continue reading
What is a Criminal Lawyers’ Role?
Criminal lawyers represent people from all walks of life. Unfortunately, movies and TV shows have portrayed criminal lawyers in a bad light, prompting members of the public asking the question criminal lawyers get asked too often, “but how can you defend a criminal?”, or “how can you defend a guilty person?”. Too often we ...continue reading
Legal Penalties, Defences and Charges for Sexual Intercourse with a Child Between 10 & 14 in NSW
It is reported that father of three, Brett David Hill grabbed and abducted an 11-year-old school girl who was walking to school in Newcastle. After abducting her, Hill had repeatedly raped the girl at 3 different locations for over 5-hours in Newcastle. During the terrifying experience, Hill had also threatened to harm and kill ...continue reading
Law on Sexual Intercourse with a Child Under 10 in NSW
It’s reported that Anthony Sampieri has pleaded guilty to having sexual intercourse with a child under 10-years-of-age. His matter was listed for sentence at the Downing Centre Sydney District Court this year, but has now been delayed to 30 January 2020 for sentence due to his health- suffering from cancer in the liver, he ...continue reading
Penalties for Child Rape Charges in NSW
25-year-old Gerrad Coddington and 29-year-old Christina Nelson-Coddington from Oklahoma, USA have both been described as nothing short of “evil” parents after they beat, handcuffed and sexually assaulted a two-year-old girl. The Attorney General of Oklahoma, Mike Hunter has said that their actions were the worst he had ever seen. “The actions of these two ...continue reading
Penalties for a Teacher Having Sex with an Under-Age Student
It is reported that on or about 16 October 2019, 36-year-old Texas high school teacher, Randi Chaverria allegedly performed oral sex on a student in her classroom on two occasions at the Round Rock High School during her employment there. Chaverria who was a family and consumer science teacher was awarded ‘Teacher of the ...continue reading
The Law & Penalties for Engaging in Sexual Activity or Intercourse with a Child Outside Australia
It is reported that 33-year-old convicted paedophile Richard Huckle was discovered dead in his prison cell in Yorkshire on 13 October. Reports indicate that Huckle was stabbed to death. While his death was confirmed by a prison service spokesman, police are still investigating the suspicious death. Richard Huckle was a photographer and held an ...continue reading