Mud sticks, better get a raincoat: Lawyer X diary details police ‘threats’

A diary note made 20 years ago by Nicola Gobbo records what she says are threats by police.

Today is the first time one of Ms Gobbo’s diaries has been tendered as evidence to the Royal Commission. Picture: Supplied

Nicola Gobbo in her first year of practicing law was threatened by police with the end of her career unless she provided information to them about the boss of the law firm she was working for, the Lawyer X Royal Commission has been told.

A diary note made 20 years ago by Ms Gobbo records what she says she was told by two Victoria Police drug squad detectives at the height of a money laundering investigation into her boss.

The note records that the detectives told Ms Gobbo her boss was a crook who should be in jail, that no one would believe she had no knowledge of his alleged criminal activities and they were aware of her own priors for drug possession.

“My name is mentioned on tapes,’’ the note records.

According to the note, she was told that mud sticks and she’d better “get a raincoat soon.’’

Ms Gobbo’s diary note records that the February 2, 1998 meeting was attended by a drug squad detective known in Royal Commission hearings by the codename Kruger and his senior officer, Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Bowden.

The diary entry from Nicola Gobbo detailing a meeting with police. Picture: Supplied

Kruger told the Royal Commission in the Management of Police Informants that he had no recollection of the meeting or such things ever being said to Ms Gobbo.

Under cross examination from Ms Gobbo’s counsel, Peter Collinson QC, the detective agreed that if such things were said they would be “deeply intimidatory’’ to a young solicitor at the start of her career.

Mr Collinson: “Do you agree that if those things were said by you or senior sergeant Bowden on that occasion it would be deeply inappropriate conduct?

Kruger: “Definitely inappropriate comments.”

It is understood that the Royal Commission has been provided copies of extensive diaries kept by Ms Gobbo throughout her time as a defence barrister and police informant.

Today is the first time one of her diary entries has been tendered as evidence.

Her account of the 1998 meeting offers a very different slant to the story so far provided by police about why Ms Gobbo agreed to turn police informant against her boss.

Police witnesses, including Kruger, previously told the Royal Commission that Ms Gobbo came to police with information against her boss, the senior partner in a prominent criminal law firm, once she became aware of his alleged criminal activities.

Her diary note suggests that, far from being a willing and enthusiastic informant, Ms Gobbo was coerced into ratting out the man who hired her out of law school and later in her career, briefed her as a barrister.

Former Assistant Commissioner Jeff Pope, now a senior official with the Australian Electoral Commission, previously testified that he registered Ms Gobbo an informant as part of a major fraud squad investigation after he was introduced to her by Kruger and another drug squad detective, Wayne Strawhorn.

Strawhorn, who has also provided evidence to the Commission, was convicted in 2006 for trafficking a commercial quantity of pseudoephedrine, a precursor for the manufacture of amphetamines, to the Moran crime family.

Kruger told the hearing he had a good rapport with Ms Gobbo and denied threatening her. “I don’t recall anything like that ever being said to Nicola.’’

He confirmed his own diary from the time shows that he left the office on the afternoon in question with Detective Bowden and returned about three hours later. She said he couldn’t recall meeting with Ms Gobbo that day or ever having a meeting with Mr Bowden and Ms Gobbo.

The Royal Commission continues.