Nicola Gobbo labelled Simon Overland as ‘evil, corrupt and dishonest’
Giving evidence from a remote location in March this year, Nicola Gobbo described former top cop Simon Overland as “evil, corrupt and dishonest” and said he knew all about her informing.
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Nicola Gobbo, lawyer at the centre of the state’s royal commission has described former top cop Simon Overland as “evil, corrupt and dishonest.’’
The disgraced lawyer took a swipe at Victoria Police’s former chief commissioner, while giving evidence from a secret location earlier this year.
The new information was released officially yesterday, with the exiled lawyer-turned informer claiming she informed on hundreds of people.
However, Gobbo refused to discuss much of her dealings with police, and stated that she had never met Mr Overland, who rose to Victoria Police chief commissioner in 2009.
Despite never having met she said her police handlers told her Mr Overland was across the details of her informing, especially between September 2005 until January, 2009, when she was registered as ``human source 3838’’.
During her last role as an informer she gave information on gangland figures to the Purana taskforce – established by Mr Overland – which helped in the arrest and conviction of some of its main targets.
When asked by counsel assisting the commission Chris Winneke QC about the conduct of Mr Overland, Gobbo described him as “evil, corrupt and dishonest.’’
She had the impression from police handlers that Mr Overland was aware of her role and that her information went “right to the top’’.
``I was always led to believe that he was well aware of my informing and that he was, a huge supporter and encourager of it and that, you know, in that time there were often circumstances in which, I was – would say to my handler.....’Are you sure, are you sure you know what you’re doing?’.”
``And each and every time they would say to me that their bosses had approved of it and … that Simon Overland was specifically aware of what I was doing and that he had approved of it.’’
Some of Gobbo’s evidence was in stark contrast to the evidence of police who have appeared before the inquiry.
She also revealed:
• That she was pressured to inform after being told people like her end up in jail or in the gutter.
• She visited prisoners within a “special section’’ of the jail at the request of the Purana taskforce.
• Stood by her claim that 386 people were arrested, convicted or had property seized as a result of her information.
• She labelled several detectives as ``manipulative’’.
• Gobbo denied being involved in criminal activity.
When asked a series of questions about her sexual relationships with police officers, including Jeff Pope – a detective who registered her as an informer in 1999 – she labelled some of his evidence given to the commission ``unmitigated rubbish’’ and “absurd’’.
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Mr Pope has repeatedly denied the affair, but testified earlier this year Gobbo had propositioned him with an offer of a trip to Hawaii. .
The commission resumes on January 21 next year.