The right to silence has been watered-down in recent times and it has been suggested that there are situations when exercising your right to silence might now be against your interests when it previously may not. To discuss this issue, let’s look at the changes. In 2013, an addition to the NSW Evidence Act meant… Read more »
The offender, Mahmoud Mariam, seemed to show little remorse when he was originally sentenced to at least five years and nine months behind bars in 2012. The son of Mr Knight couldn’t believe the cheering when the verdicts were handed down. He predicted that this would not be the last person to get shot in… Read more »
Despite robbery rates remaining stable throughout NSW over the past year, this has not been the case for one unfortunate sports club in the Blue Mountains, which was robbed once in the 90s, in 2001 and then again in 2013. The most recent case was finalised in the Parramatta District Court last month. The culprits,… Read more »
The NSW city of Queanbeyan recently made headlines for a serious assault offence. This city of just 37,000 people doesn’t regularly make the national news, but this time it was the scene of a particularly vicious assault. The city has a strong historical connection with alcohol and violence. From 1911 to 1928, when the sale… Read more »
Silly mistakes can have a sneaky habit of catching up with us. We’ve all done things we regret and may have even had a run in with the law. If you’ve got a criminal record, you may still be feeling its implications years down the track. Surely, you think, how can I still be paying… Read more »
You probably already know this, but just in case, glassing is where someone uses a glass/bottle as a weapon. It has unfortunately become a feature of alcohol-related violence in recent years. In fact, just after 12.30am this morning X Factor judge ‘Redfoo’ sustained a cut to his head after a man allegedly threw a glass… Read more »
During a four-year-long investigation, a complex and organised church sex ring has been uncovered. The pastor, Scott Williams ran his own church, the Christian Assemblies International but preyed on members of the congregation for his own gratification. Former members have now spoken out against the behaviour of Pastor Williams, stating that the organisation was a… Read more »
If you have been charged with common assault, the maximum penalties for assault are set out in legislation, but the actual sentence that you get will be influenced by a lot of factors. According to the law, common assault is the least serious of the assault charges.. If you are guilty, the offence is punishable… Read more »
Police and prosecutors in NSW have a large amount of discretionary power: they can choose whether or not charges can be dropped or reduced, and whether a case will proceed to a defended local court hearing. In any given situation police have a large amount of discretion to exercise their power. But what happens when… Read more »
For the vast majority of criminal cases, an experienced criminal lawyer will be able to handle your case from start to finish. However if your case is heading towards a lengthy District or Supreme Court trial, you may need to think about also engaging a criminal barrister as a part of your criminal defence team…. Read more »
