Lawyer X royal commission: Nicola Gobbo’s handler details failings in arrest of cartel’s drug cook

A handler for Lawyer X Nicola Gobbo has told the royal commission a drug cook for the Tony Mokbel cartel was not made aware his barrister had also been the one who snitched on him.

Lawyer X Nicola Gobbo.

A prolific drug cook for the Mokbel cartel got the deal of the century when he agreed to give evidence, a former senior Victoria Police office said.

But the drug cook was only arrested after evidence provided by his barrister Lawyer X, Nicola Gobbo.

The Lawyer X Royal Commission heard her key handler said there were great failings in how they managed Gobbo after she was registered in 2005.

The handler — who has been given the name Sandy White — said while he believed it was “fair game” for Gobbo to snitch on the drug cook, it was a great concern that she went on to represent him.

After his arrest, the cook implicated a number of members of the Mokbel cartel in drug trafficking charges.

Tony Mokbel leaves Melbourne Magistrates’ Court with Nicola Gobbo.

Counsel assisting the Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informants Chris Winneke asked Mr White if he was concerned enough to believe the cook should have been made aware that his barrister had provided the intelligence that enabled police to arrest him.

Mr Winneke also asked if divulging Gobbo’s dual role would have jeopardised the cook’s future co-operation.

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“He got the deal of the century in terms of his sentence,” Mr White said.

“I think he believes and everyone else involved in it (believes) that he got a great deal.”

Mr White told the inquiry that if he had his time again he would have managed Gobbo very differently.

“It is very clear with the benefit of hindsight that there were failings in how we managed Ms Gobbo there is no way we would do the same thing in those circumstances.”

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