NT barrister Jon Tippett calls on police to investigate the unlawful leaking of watch house CCTV

A prominent Territory barrister who drove into the back of a cop car has called on police to expose who leaked confidential footage of his boozy watch house interview.

A senior barrister has challenged the NT Police to track down the source of a leak after he was “humiliated” by the release of a confidential interview in a Top End cop shop.

Jon Tippett appeared before Darwin Local Court Judge Stephen Geary on Thursday to plead guilty to careless and mid range drink driving after running into a stationary police car.

Defence lawyer Peter Maley said Mr Tippett was drinking with colleagues after work amid a high-profile murder trial on Friday November 15 when he made the “very bad decision to drive” home.

The 71-year-old was on Cavenagh St when he ran into the back of a NT Police car stopped at the red light at the intersection with Daly St at 9.20pm.

Mr Maley joked that while Mr Tippett’s “American-made” Jeep suffered no damage from the low speed crash, the HiLux suffered a “ding” with the repair bill to the tune of $2652.10.

NT barrister Jon Tippett leaving Darwin Local Court after pleading guilty to careless and mid-range drink driving after bumping into the back of a cop car in Darwin's CBD. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Mr Geary heard that the senior lawyer was “humiliated” as he was arrested and taken to the Palmerston watch house, where a breath test recorded a 0.111 blood alcohol reading — double the legal limit.

Controversially security footage from the watch house was unlawfully leaked to the public, showing Mr Tippett joking and saying “C’mon bruz, come off it — it’s not the end of the world”.

Mr Maley said an internal investigation by the Department of Public Prosecutions had confirmed they were not the source of the leak, with NT Police continuing to investigate the unlawful disclosure.

“There seems to be a reluctance by police to take the matter any further,” Mr Maley said.

“Which is outrageous.”

NT barrister Jon Tippett with his lawyer Peter Maley, leaving Darwin Local Court after the 71-year-old pleaded guilty to careless and mid-range drink driving after bumping into the back of a cop car in Darwin's CBD. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Outside the court, Mr Tippett called on police to find the person responsible for the unlawful disclosure of confidential information, an offence that carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison.

“Police are in possession of an unlawful act — their systems have been breached,” he said.

“And they have not been able to find the culprit.”

“I call upon the NT Police to do their job, find the perpetrator who released unlawful information to the press.”

Mr Maley described his colleague as a man who had spent four decades contributing to the “legal fabric of the Northern Territory”, having previously served as the president of the Territory’s Law Society, the Bar Society and the Criminal Lawyers Association.

NT barrister Jon Tippett leaving Darwin Local Court after pleading guilty to careless and mid-range drink driving after bumping into the back of a cop car in Darwin's CBD. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Indeed Mr Geary disclosed that while he had known Mr Tippett for 20 years, they were not friends — and had faced him as an adversary in his former life as a prosecutor.

But the judge said this experience with the law made his offending worse “in the sense that you know better”.

“(And) you ran into the back of a police car of all things,” he told the defence lawyer.

Mr Geary said given his good character and the additional punishment from the leaked footage, he chose to not record a conviction.

Mr Tippett’s licence was disqualified for six months, he was fined $1500, with a $300 victim’s levy, and ordered to pay NT Police for the repairs.

Originally published as NT barrister Jon Tippett calls on police to investigate the unlawful leaking of watch house CCTV