By Paul Gregoire and Ugur Nedim Jacob Holland entered the house of a neighbour in Coffs Harbour on November 9 2014. The 21-year-old man had never been to the residence before, nor did he know the family who lived there. He made his way in through a backdoor that had a faulty lock, and was… Read more »
By Paul Gregoire and Ugur Nedim Australian attorney-general George Brandis rushed a bill through the House of Representatives on February 16 to amend native title laws. If passed by the Senate, it will reverse the impact that a recent Federal Court ruling will have on past and future Indigenous land use agreements (ILUAs). The Noongar native title… Read more »
By Paul Gregoire and Ugur Nedim Late on the night of February 12, 2013, Jason Dewey heard voices coming from several men gathered out the front of his wife’s Cessnock home. The men were making threatening remarks directed towards him. After going out onto the front veranda, Mr Dewey saw a group of ten men,… Read more »
By Zeb Holmes and Ugur Nedim Several years after being acquitted of murdering his girlfriend Caroline Byrne, Gordon Wood has commenced civil proceedings against the State of New South Wales, seeking $17.8 million in damages for malicious prosecution and false imprisonment. The case In a famous miscarriage of justice, Mr Wood spent more than three… Read more »
On February 2 of this year, the Federal Court ruled that the largest native title settlement in Australian history was void. The Noongar native title settlement was worth $1.3 billion dollars. The court’s decision may have widespread implications for both past and future agreements. The settlement between the Western Australian government and the Noongar traditional owners… Read more »
We previously reported on the case of 44-year old Silvia Schreuder who, along with 42-year old Jason Hall, was charged with larceny and fraud offences after stealing 62-year old aged care nurse Kay Shaylor’s handbag as she lay in a critical condition after a car accident. The collision occurred when Mr Shaylor’s vehicle was hit… Read more »
By Paul Gregoire and Ugur Nedim Controversial Magistrate Roger Prowse is at it again. As discussed in a previous blog, the Local Court magistrate caused a stir in May 2015, when he accused a police office of contempt and called a halt to proceedings against a man charged with common assault. On that occasion, defendant Tony Rugari… Read more »
By Paul Gregoire and Ugur Nedim Czaba “Chubby” Magyari ran a well-organised drug syndicate selling large quantities of heroin and cocaine. The Hungarian national lived in a Drummoyne unit and had a premises in Bexley North he ran as a drug safe house. His groups was comprised of seven members – his ex-girlfriend Lilla Toemoeskoezy, who… Read more »
It is integral to our justice system that parties be able to require the attendance of witnesses at court to answer questions. A party, such as the defence or prosecution, will normally require the attendance of a witness by issuing them with a subpoena to ‘give evidence’ (ie testify). Failure to attend can result in… Read more »
By Paul Gregoire and Ugur Nedim Doli incapax refers to the presumption that a child under the age of 14 is incapable of a crime under legislation or common law. This is presumed because a young child has not yet developed the intellectual or moral capacity to appreciate the difference between right or wrong. This… Read more »
