Lawyer X: Police officer says Nicola Gobbo and Tony Mokbel had relationship ‘outside hours’
Gangland barrister turned informer Nicola Gobbo had a relationship with drug baron Tony Mokbel that was outside “the normal lawyer-client relationship and extended beyond business hours”, a senior police officer told the Lawyer X Royal Commission.
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Gangland barrister turned informer Nicola Gobbo had a relationship with drug baron Tony Mokbel that was outside “the normal lawyer-client relationship and extended beyond business hours”, a senior police officer said.
Inspector Martin Allison said he had known Gobbo was often meeting Mokbel at various places in Melbourne, “mostly in the early hours of the morning or late evening”.
While a drug squad detective in 2000, Inspector Allison said it was widely known among the squad that Gobbo was unusually close to her gangland client, he told the royal commission examining her dual roles as criminal barrister and police informer.
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“Ms Gobbo seemed to have a relationship with Mokbel that was outside the normal lawyer-client relationship,’’ he said.
“I never observed it but I received information — I’m not sure where it came from — that the relationship extended beyond business hours.
“They would regularly meet at various places in Melbourne, mostly in the early hours of the morning (and) late evening.”
At the time, Mokbel was the main target of a major drug squad investigation dubbed Operation Kayak, which was led by disgraced drug squad detective Wayne Strawhorn. Mokbel was the main target but Carl Williams, Lewis Moran and members of Mokbel’s family were also arrested and charged as part of the drug manufacturing probe.
Inspector Allison said members of the drug squad would have known about Gobbo’s close relationship with Mokbel.
Earlier, the royal commission had heard that Strawhorn’s official police diary had an entry saying he met with Gobbo about Operation Kayak and Tony Mokbel in December 2000, before charges were laid against her client.
Inspector Allison said he found it “unusual” a senior drug squad investigator would met with a barrister before charges were laid and then go on to represent the client. He said in December 2000 Operation Kayak was at a crucial juncture.
“That was when things were really moving quickly and evidence gathering was reaching its peak of momentum.”
Strawhorn, who was later sentenced to seven years in prison for trafficking drugs to gangland figure Mark Moran, said he could not recall the December 2000 meeting.
Inspector Allison said at the time he was aware Gobbo was “ingratiating” herself with members of Victoria Police and there were rumours she had a relationship with former drug squad detective Paul Dale.
“I vaguely recall there may have been rumours around a relationship Ms Gobbo may have had with Paul Dale back in those times. I was aware Ms Gobbo was ingratiating herself with police.”
Mr Dale was later accused of the murder of police informer Terry Hodson in 2004. Gobbo had secretly recorded a conversation she had with Mr Dale which was going to be used in his trial.
Murder charges were dropped against Mr Dale in 2010.