RESULTS

Reckless Conduct Endangering Life / Jail Avoided

Case: taking the law into your own hands. Vigilante Accused of Ramming Truck Into vehicle of offender harassing his female partner.

Our client received a call from his partner who was frantic as she explained that a known offender was chasing her vehicle and she was unable to get away despite having contacted police. It was alleged that our client drove a truck in a reckless manner rushing to the aid of his partner and had located them and smashed his truck into the known offenders vehicle. It was further alleged that our client had armed himself with a pole and had emerged from his truck striking the the known offender who had to emerge from the passenger side due to the extensive damage to the vehicle he was in.

Charges/ Ch1 (Reckless Conduct Endangering Life); Ch2 (Reckless Conduct Endangering Serious Injury); Ch3 (dangerous driving); Ch4 (Careless driving), Charge 5 (Unlawful Assault Using A 4.5 Tonne Truck And Metal Pole); Ch6 (Unlawful assault)

Result/ Withdrawn: Ch1, 2, 3, 5, 6 

Plea Guilty: Ch4: $800 fine without conviction, no interference with licence

Our client contacted one of our lawyers immediately after the incident and accordingly declined an interview with police as it was intended for him to be interviewed as a suspect and not a witness. He was later charged with 6 offences however police failed to investigate the harassment of the known offender and our lawyer managed to apply the necessary pressure on the police Informant and police prosecutors raising the failure of the police Informant to properly investigate the circumstances of the incident. Our lawyer obtained the 000 call which our client’s partner made and ensured that the police Informant conducted further investigation which lead to the known assailant also being charged. 

Driving Whilst Disqualified / Withdrawn

Case: Court heard the matter in absence of our client and failed to provide notice to accused lead to Withdrawal of Charge.

Our client had contested an infringement notice for exceeding the speed limit and was self-representing himself. Unfortunately he had the Court dates mixed up and had missed a Court date. The Court proceeded to hear his matter in his absence and disqualified him from driving for 3 months. No advice or notice with respect to the licence disqualification was communicated by the Court and our client was subsequently intercepted driving whilst disqualified.

Charges/ Ch1 (driving whilst disqualified)

Result/ charge withdrawn

The charge required that police prove our client had been aware of the suspension. However our lawyer submitted that our client had not been provided with any information with regard to the Court hearing his matter in his absence and therefore was unaware of the licence disqualification. Prosecution agreed to withdraw the charge as the defence of honest & reasonable mistake could not be refuted as the notice of order from the Court hearing the previous matter confirmed that there was no appearance from our client and there was no evidence that the Court had ever sent our client the result of the case which was heard in his absence.

Drug Trafficking / Adjourned undertaking (good behaviour bond) with conviction (Jail Avoided)

Case: Good behaviour bond for drug trafficking & proceeds of crime charges following statewide investigation into trafficking cannabis.

Our client’s house was raided following AusPost intercepting an express post parcel containing 112 grams of Cannabis which was surrendered to Queensland Police for further investigation. Forensic analysis conducted revealed 5 fingerprints belonging to our client. Search warrants were conducted at our client’s residential premises and police located over 5 kilograms of dried cannabis, 15 grams of amphetamine & $106,25.00 in cash including sophisticated hydroponic equipment. Our client was not cooperative and made a no comment interview. Our client was on bail for other matters at the time and was released on strict bail conditions following a successful application for bail by our defence solicitor. 

Charges/ Ch1 (drug trafficking); Ch2, 4, 5, 6 (drug possession); Ch3 (drug use); Ch7, 8, 9 (Deal with property suspected to be proceeds of crime); Ch10 (possess proceeds of crime).

Result/ Ch1, 3, 9: withdrawn;  Ch2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9: Good Behaviour Bond with Conviction & Fine of $1,700

Our lawyer negotiated with police to drop the most serious drug trafficking charges as the selling was not protracted and there was a lack of evidence in the prosecution case. Our client would have certainly been jailed if the charges were not succesfully negotiated. Our client complied with strict conditions of bail and was able to present the necessary plea material to convince a Magistrate that a $1,700 fine with conviction in addition to a 12 month good behaviour bond was appropriate. Our client was aged in his early twenty’s with an extensive criminal history.

Dangerous Driving Causing Serious Injury / Jail Avoided

Case:  Jail Avoided from serious accident Riding motorbike without helmets.

Our client caught up with friends drinking just after the Covid-19 lockdowns. He and his partner got on a motorbike without helmets and along the ride lost control of the motorbike. Both our client and his partner sustained serious injuries.

Charges/ Ch1 (Negligently cause serious injury); Ch2 (dangerous driving causing serious injury); Ch3 (dangerous driving); Ch4, 5 (drink driving); Ch6 (riding a motorbike without a helmet)

Result/ Ch1, 3, 4: withdrawn; Plea Guilty Ch2, 5, 6

Our client was at risk of jail and our lawyer negotiated that the most serious charge (charge 1) not be proceeded with. Our client compiled good character references and a psych report that showed that he had PTSD and lives constantly with the guilty of nearly killing his partner. He had no prior history for speeding or drink driving. The prosecutor and defence both recommended a Community Corrections Order and the Magistrate agreed.

Unlawful Assault / Withdrawn

Case: Escaping conviction for cultivating cannabis.

Our client rented a house as a party house and later allowed it to be used for another person to cultivate cannabis. Police found no cannabis at our client’s home but seized $20,000 suspected to be proceeds of crime.

Charges/ Ch1 (Cultivate Cannabis); Ch2 (Theft of Electricity); Ch3 (Negligently Deal with Proceeds of Criminal); Ch4 (Deal with property suspected to be proceeds of crime); Ch5 (possess Cannabis)

Result/ withdrawn: Ch2, 3, 5; Plea Ch1, 4 (reduced sum): Fine without Conviction 

Our client was adamant that he was not responsible for the cannabis cultivation although he was aware of the activity in the house. The money seized at his house was from a loan and we obtained a defence witness letter from the lender. We negotiated with the Office of Public Prosecutions to amend the summary that acknowledged that our client had a minimal role in the cultivation and that he had an explanation as to at least $18,000 of the cash seized. Given the minimal role and lack of prior criminal history, the Judge took a lenient approach to sentencing. The client will also have his $18,000 returned to him.

Recklessly Cause Injury / Withdrawn

Case: Charges withdrawn Incident with Ex Father-In-Law.

Our client was in a relationship with girl from a different ethnic community. Her father did not like the relationship and forbid her from seeing our client. He would also send abusive text messages to our client’s mother. An incident occurred where the father asked our client over to their house. His mum gave him a lift in her car and waited outside. An incident occurred where the father alleges our client punched him in the shoulder causing a fracture, however our client’s mother heard the commotion and saw the father wrestling her son on the floor pulling his hair. Our client attended the police station and they charged him rather than the father.

Charges/ Ch1 (Recklessly Cause Injury); Ch2 (Unlawful Assault); Ch3 (Common Law Assault)

Result/ All charges withdrawn

Our lawyer argued that the punch to the shoulder (which was denied) could not have caused the injury alleged. We obtained the threatening text messages from our client’s mother, as well as a defence witness statement from her as to what she saw. The prosecutor offered to withdraw the charges. This case is an example of the disturbing way police conduct themselves in charging victims of an assault as the perpetrator and allowing perpetrators to go unpunished. 

Cultivate Cannabis / Fine, Without Conviction

Case: Escaping conviction for cultivating cannabis.

Our client rented a house as a party house and later allowed it to be used for another person to cultivate cannabis. Police found no cannabis at our client’s home but seized $20,000 suspected to be proceeds of crime.

Charges/ Ch1 (Cultivate Cannabis); Ch2 (Theft of Electricity); Ch3 (Negligently Deal with Proceeds of Criminal); Ch4 (Deal with property suspected to be proceeds of crime); Ch5 (possess Cannabis)

Result/ withdrawn: Ch2, 3, 5; Plea Ch1, 4 (reduced sum): Fine without Conviction 

Our client was adamant that he was not responsible for the cannabis cultivation although he was aware of the activity in the house. The money seized at his house was from a loan and we obtained a defence witness letter from the lender. We negotiated with the Office of Public Prosecutions to amend the summary that acknowledged that our client had a minimal role in the cultivation and that he had an explanation as to at least $18,000 of the cash seized. Given the minimal role and lack of prior criminal history, the Judge took a lenient approach to sentencing. The client will also have his $18,000 returned to him.

Recklessly Cause Injury / Withdrawn

Case: Withdrawal of charges for family violence incident.

Our client and his partner had an argument that led to a physical altercation. The partner called police to defuse the situation. The partner felt misled by police into making a statement under the belief that no charges would ensue. 

Charges/ Ch1 (Recklessly Cause Injury); Ch2 (Assault); Ch3 (Throw a missile)

Result/ All charges withdrawn

Our client’s partner did not want our client charged and made a statement of no complaint. The partner made her original statement in a highly agitated state and omitted important information that raised a defence to our client that he acted in self defence. Police withdrew the charges as it could not be proven beyond reasonable doubt that our client committed the offences.

Recklessly Cause Injury / Withdrawn

Case: Withdrawal of charges from father’s revenge attack.

Our client was young in a relationship with a girl from a different cultural background. Her father was abusive to our client’s family and did not like his daughter being in the relationship. The father lured our client to his home on the pretence to “discuss” his concerns about the relationship. The father attacked our client leaving head injuries. Our client’s mum was a witness and reported the incident to police. The father also made a complaint and police decided to charge our client claiming that our client fractured his shoulder.

Charges/ Ch1 (Recklessly Cause Injury); Ch2 (Assault); Ch3 (Assault)

Result/ All charges withdrawn

We obtained a defence witness statement from our client’s mum, as well as threatening SMS messages from the girl’s father to our client’s family and brought this to the attention of prosecutors. We made submissions that the shoulder injury could not have been caused as the girl’s father alleged and was instead caused by the girl’s father wrestling our client to the ground. The police agreed to withdraw the charges and our client is now considering a personal injury claim against the girl’s father.

Unlawful Assault & Criminal Damage / Withdrawn

Case: Withdrawal of charges for family violence incident.

Our client’s partner had mental health issues. She alleged our client kicked open a door that damaged a wall and pushed her over. Our client denied that he assaulted or caused any damage. He explained in his police interview that the wall was already damaged and that he didn’t touch his partner.

Charges/ Ch1 (unlawful assault); Ch2 (criminal damage)

Result/ All charges withdrawn

Our client’s partner did not want our client charged and made a statement of no complaint. Our lawyer negotiated with police to have the charges withdrawn after a case review and lack of evidence against our client. Our client was applying for Permanent Residency which would have been affected if the charges were not withdrawn.