Incongruous as it may sound, according to the Australian Crime Commission, bikie gangs are even hiring public relations professionals to work on their image. But perhaps they need a bit of a makeover, because their image at the moment is not exactly a favourable one. Bikie gangs and the violence that has notoriously erupted several… Read more »
Perjury is, put simply, lying in court, and is a very serious offence in NSW. It can be either verbal or written and comes with a 10 year prison sentence, according to the Crimes Act, which is five times longer than the maximum penalty for either common assault or theft. Anytime you have to give… Read more »
Gun laws are a controversial topic – while some advocate freer access to guns, others want even stricter regulations imposed. This month, ‘Unification Operation’ has been in full swing – a project run by the NSW police which aims to get illegal firearms off the streets. Similar campaigns are being run in other states Australia-wide…. Read more »
Putin once even joked that the bribery system in some parts of Russia is so well known that they were even adjusted for inflation. In NSW, and the rest of Australia, any kind of bribery involving a person holding public office is a crime. The common law definition of bribery is receiving or offering an… Read more »
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 »
While Bega may be well known for its cheese, the Bega Local Court and District Court are also becoming increasingly familiar with drug offenders. The cheese may have put Bega on the map, but other, less legal farm produce has recently made Bega come under the police radar. A string of cases earlier this year… Read more »
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 »
If you think of theft you might think of home invasions, bag snatchers or perhaps dramatic hold-ups. In fact both robbery and theft have been declining dramatically from what they were just fourteen years ago at the turn of the century. It is crimes like shoplifting and fraud that are on the rise. So, you… Read more »
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 »
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 »
