Ex-top cop Simon Overland to give further evidence at Lawyer X Royal Commission
Diaries belonging to former top cop Simon Overland have been found in an unmarked box in police archives. The shock discovery comes in the final hours of the Lawyer X commission for 2019.
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Three police diaries belonging to former top cop Simon Overland have been uncovered in an unmarked box in a police archive centre in the final hours of the Lawyer X Royal Commission of the year.
The official diaries, from 2003, 2004, 2007, were found in an unmarked or “miscellaneous” box in a Laverton storage unit.
It came after Mr Overland’s former chief of staff had a sudden recollection of cleaning out his boss’ office following his resignation from Victoria Police in June 2011.
The chief of staff said he remembered on Monday during Mr Overland’s evidence that there were three diaries in his office and alerted the commission.
A laborious search for the diaries ensued, the commission heard, and the hardcover books were walked into the Fair Work Buikding on Friday afternoon.
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It means Mr Overland will have to return to continue evidence next year to be examined on their contents.
Mr Overland’s lawyer Saul Holt said they were “obviously very unhappy about this,” to which Commissioner Margaret McMurdo said: “no so less than me.”
The diaries are not expected to be “troves of information”, but include entries from 2007 - a significant year during the height of Gobbo’s informing.
The diaries could shed light on Mr Overland’s attendance at meetings concerning the barrister-turned-informer.
“On the very limited basis of a look at those diary pages, the samples that have been sent through to us now, they do not appear to be extensive records by any stretch,” Mr Holt said.
Commissioner McMurdo said there still “might be something important”.
On Monday Mr Overland was asked by the Commission about his record-keeping during Nicola Gobbo’s registration.
“Did you keep a diary?” Counsel assisting Chris Winneke QC quizzed.
“No, I didn’t,” Mr Overland said.
“Did you keep a day book of sorts?” Mr Winneke asked.
“No, I didn’t,” Mr Overland repeated.
The discovery of the missing diaries has been blamed on poor record keeping, the commission heard.
More to come
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