Retired justice to probe if cops could be charged over Lawyer X
The retired high court justice probing the Lawyer X fiasco will be given powers to examine whether police officers should face criminal charges.
Police & Courts
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The special investigator probing the Lawyer X fiasco will on Tuesday be given powers to examine whether any crimes occurred during Victoria Police’s use of barrister Nicola Gobbo as a secret informer.
Retired High Court Justice Geoffrey Nettle AC QC was appointed as special investigator by the Andrews Government in June and has already begun preliminary work on publicly available commission records.
But the Special Investigator Bill will formally establish the role and his powers.
At the completion of his investigation, Justice Nettle will consider whether there is sufficient evidence for criminal charges to be laid, or disciplinary breaches, over Gobbo’s snitching role with Victoria Police against her own clients.
Potential criminal charges high ranking police officers and Gobbo could face include perverting the course of justice, perjury and misconduct in public office.
If Justice Nettle uncovers sufficient evidence, a brief will be provided to Victoria’s Director of Public Prosecutions to determine whether charges should be laid.
Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes said the government was fulfilling its promise to implement all of the commission’s recommendations.
“This is another important step in restoring the public’s confidence in our criminal justice system and to right the wrongs laid bare by the Royal Commission,” she said.
Justice Nettle has sat as both a trial and appellate judge in the Victorian Supreme Court and Court of Appeal before serving as a Justice of the High Court of Australia.
The Government has spent $87.9 million implementing the commission’s recommendations – including $13.47 million to establish the Office of the Special Investigator.
Former New Zealand judge Sir David Carruthers is overseeing the implementation of reforms recommended by the commission.
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