Posts By: Ugur Nedim

Is Police Evidence Unreliable?

Blood in tube

In the 1980s, the practice of ‘verballing’ amongst police was rife and contributed towards wrongful convictions. ‘Verballing’ was a term used to describe a process where police officers either orally or in writing, would fabricate the confessions of suspects. These fake admissions were portrayed as convincing evidence in court, often very successfully. Now, with police… Read more »

Drink Driving in Fairfield Local Court

Drink driver's vision

A man found to be over the limit when breath tested by police had crashed his car through a fence, landing right near railway tracks. A crane was needed to remove the vehicle after it had been totalled. Fortunately the driver managed to escape serious injury, although as he exited his vehicle, he did stumble… Read more »

What is Double Jeopardy?

Lady Justice

Double jeopardy has been an integral part of our criminal law system – it is essentially the idea that a person cannot be put on trial twice for the same offence. It has been a part of the common law for 800 years and the principle has a counterpart in other legal systems, too. There… Read more »

Counterfeit Money Charges Heard In The Coffs Harbour Local Court

$50 Australian

Could you spot a counterfeit banknote? Although there is a growing presence of alternative methods of payments, cash continues to be commonly used in transactions. Unfortunately, the widespread use of cash provides motive to criminals who manufacture counterfeit money. A routine breath test by police, led to a car search which uncovered a badly counterfeited… Read more »

Sentencing Alternatives in NSW Courts: Circle Sentencing, Forum Sentencing and the MERIT Program

Mark Foy in Downing Centre Court

Underlying problems like drug and alcohol addiction, as well as particular problems faced by Aboriginal offenders, mean that various alternative programs are now supplementing more traditional methods of sentencing in NSW Courts. These sentencing alternatives focus on community involvement, rehabilitation or even, in the case of forum sentencing, discussions between victim and offender as part… Read more »

Fraud in NSW Courts

Downing Centre emblem

Fraud is on the rise. Its perpetrators include anyone from members of parliament to bikie gangs who team up with rivals to perpetuate fraud. Earlier this year, cold-callers from call-centres were used to swindle over one million dollars from Australians. The police uncovered the fraudulent operation, run by bikies who were using call centres as… Read more »

Practical Jokes And The Law

Run over joke

You might think your prank is hilarious but will a judge think so too? Or maybe you are already in this situation. If you have been charged with a crime, which in your eyes was just a prank gone wrong, it is important to speak with a lawyer, sooner than later. Throughout history people have… Read more »