Violent threats sent to Lawyer X came from falsely registered phones
Underworld criminals with a “devilish sense of humour” used phones, registered falsely to police, to send threatening messages to Nicola Gobbo, a Royal Commission has heard.
Law & Order
Don't miss out on the headlines from Law & Order. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Criminals used phones registered in the names of anti-gangland detectives to send threatening text messages to Lawyer X, a Royal Commission has heard.
Superintendent Jason Kelly said he investigated threatening text messages sent to barrister turned police informer Nicola Gobbo and found they were falsely registered to Purana Taskforce investigators.
Counsel assisting the Lawyer X Royal Commission Andrew Woods asked if someone with a “devilish sense of humour” had registered a phone under Supt Kelly’s name — who was then a Purana taskforce detective sergeant.
“Correct, I had found that the phone was falsely registered in my name,” Supt Kelly replied.
Supt Kelly investigated five threatening text messages — which accused Gobbo of being a police snitch — and also the firebombing of her car in 2008.
He said while police had “person of interests” for the threats and the firebombing, no charges were ever laid.
Superintendent Kelly also told the Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informants he believed Gobbo — while a registered police informant between 2005 to 2009 — was acting as a double agent and feeding information about Purana Taskforce investigations back to the criminal underworld.
He said he raised the prospect with his boss — Purana Taskforce head Jim O’Brien — who passed on the concerns to Gobbo’s handlers.
“It was certainly something that was considered,’’ Supt Kelly said.
MORE NEWS: DESPERATE BID TO FIGHT NORTH EAST LINK
ROBBO: AFL GOT STEPHENSON PENALTY RIGHT
Supt Kelly said while he was concerned using a barrister to inform on her criminal clients may lead to breaches of legal professional privilege, at the time he was confident appropriate safeguards were in place.
But he did say it was a “concern” when counsel assisting Mr Woods said Gobbo’s handlers, at their first meeting, had asked her to divulge everything about her client Tony Mokbel.
“They were asking for everything that Tony Mokbel’s barrister knew about Tony Mokbel,” Mr Woods said.