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
How COVID-19 is Affecting NSW Local Court Cases in Australia
Taking affect Monday, 30 March 2020, a number of key changes have been made to the way in which NSW Local Court matters are to be dealt with during the COVID-19 pandemic. On 24 March 2020, the New South Wales Chief Magistrate, Judge Graham Henson AM, released a Memorandum regarding some of the key ...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
Penalties, Defences and Law on Police Pursuit in NSW
By Sahar Adatia and Jimmy Singh. It is reported that in the early hours of 21 January 2020, residents in Mackay, Queensland, woke to the sounds and scenes similar to a movie after a driver crashed his car into a truck and teared into a fence in the aftermath of a police pursuit. At ...continue reading
What is Self-Defence Under the Law in NSW?
It is reported that on new year’s eve, as Pope Francis walked in Vatican City whilst greeting pilgrims on his way towards the cobble esplanade, footage has emerged of a woman from the crowd grabbing the Pope’s hand and pulling him towards her. The act appears to cause the Pope pain, as the footage ...continue reading
The Law on Police Pursuit in NSW
By Sahar Adatia and Jimmy Singh. In recent times, police pursuits have received significant media attention and become a topic of concern for both law enforcement authorities and the communities they serve. To a large extent, this has developed because police pursuits come with high risks not only for the police officers and fleeing ...continue reading
Is it Legal to Make a Citizen’s Arrest in NSW?
It is reported that a man with a large knife in Sydney CBD has allegedly attempted to stab people on Tuesday. Causing the Sydney CBD to go into lockdown, the incident unfolded close to the corner of Clarence and King Street when a man who was reportedly armed with a machete went on a ...continue reading
A Guide on Your Right to Silence When Approached by Police
By Scott Feeney and Jimmy Singh. The Brazilian Military Police were ready. The raid was about to take place in the northeast of the country, in the low-income community of Vila Irma Dulce. It was Monday the 22nd of April, and while on a regular patrol of their beat, the police observed a man ...continue reading