Lawyer X victim Faruk Orman could get $10m

A man wrongfully imprisoned for 12 years because he was betrayed by Lawyer X could receive a payout of more than $10m.

Faruk Orman leaves the court of appeal in Melbourne last July. Picture: AAP

A man wrongfully imprisoned for 12 years because he was ­betrayed by “Lawyer X” Nicola Gobbo could receive a payout of more than $10m from Victorian taxpayers.

Faruk Orman, whose conviction over a gangland killing was quashed last July, has brought in leading police misconduct lawyers Jeremy King and Max Koh to handle the litigation, which could lead to one of the state’s largest-ever compensation claims.

It is not known when the claim against the state will be filed.

The Lawyer X royal commission, which has been exploring Mr Orman’s case among dozens of others relating to Ms Gobbo, a barrister-turned-informer, is not due to give its final report to the government until July 1.

But legal sources are speculating the payout to Mr Orman could be in excess of $10m.

Mr King said he would not rule that figure in or out.

“I couldn’t say either way,” Mr King said.

One legal source who is not involved with the case said that amount could be achievable, considering Mr Orman spent 12 years in jail because of the double dealings of Ms Gobbo, who had urged witnesses to give evidence against him while acting for him.

“That’s a lot of jail,” one source said.

It is also likely that aggravated damages would be sought because of the conduct of police and that he was betrayed by Ms Gobbo, the source said.

The royal commission has heard Ms Gobbo told her police handlers about how Mr Orman was a neat freak who didn’t like being alone — which led to him being held in solitary confinement after his arrest.

Meanwhile, the royal commission heard one of the state’s most celebrated detectives backtrack on whether Ms Gobbo ­revealed an alleged confession to the murder of a self-­proclaimed vampire gigolo during a covert mission to Bali more than a ­decade ago.

Ron Iddles said he had “no recollection whatsoever” of the gangland lawyer telling him and fellow Briars Taskforce detective Stephen Waddell that a career criminal confessed to murdering Shane Chartres-Abbott.

But under cross-examination by Victoria Police’s barrister Saul Holt QC on Friday, Mr Iddles ­accepted there was sufficient proof the alleged confession ­existed. “You’ve now taken me to an affidavit and other documents,” Mr Iddles said. “I’m not going to sit here and say I still don’t have any recollection, but I can see there’s only one logical conclusion, it was there.”

Mr Iddles said in a July 2019 interview with The Australian that he was “astounded” when he discovered the alleged confession inserted into the Bali statement.

He told the royal commission when he discovered the statement he followed a “breadcrumb trail” to determine if it had been made, contacting former police colleagues.

“I’m disappointed that whilst I have no independent recollection of this, it’s caused me considerable grief when there are documents which could have been shown to me by Victoria Police,” he said.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING: DAMON JOHNSTON