NT barrister Jon Tippett to plead over drink driving charges, as police investigation into leaked footage continues
A prominent Territory barrister is preparing to plead guilty to drink driving offences, but police have no update on the investigation into how his watch house interview was leaked to the public.
NT Police have not confirmed if any cops have been disciplined after leaked footage showed an allegedly boozy top Territory barrister being questioned in the Palmerston watch house.
On Monday Jon Tippett indicated to Darwin Local Court chief Judge Elizabeth Morris that he was ready to plead guilty to a boozy driving offence.
It was alleged that the top silk was pulled over at the intersection of Cavanagh and Daly streets on Friday November 15, and charged with mid-range drink driving, careless driving and property damage.
Mr Tippett was taken to the Palmerston watch-house following the incident where he was breathalysed, allegedly returning a 0.11 blood alcohol reading — more than double the legal limit.
A leaked video from the watch house allegedly showed Mr Tippett asking officers whether it was possible to change his reading, joking “Can we get it under 0.1?”
“No we can’t, we’ve got a result,” the officer responded.
Mr Tippett said the mid-range reading was “that’s not too bad”.
“You’re too drunk and you crashed your car,” the officer says.
“C’mon bruz, come off it — it’s not the end of the world,” Mr Tippett said while laughing.
When the officer said that he should not have been in that position, the high profile lawyer said “I know that”.
“And the thing is everybody is going to make an absolute f***ing — you know — it’s going to be the thing isn’t it?” Mr Tippett said.
Throughout the interview the officer appeared to joke with Mr Tippett, laughing saying “Trust me, you don’t want to go down the line where you’re trying to bribe a cop.”
“I’d never bribe a cop, f***ing hell, my relations are cops,” Mr Tippett says.
Mr Tippett has previously told the NT News that he intended to plead guilty to the charges of drink driving and careless driving, but would contest the property damage charge.
“I am grateful for the respect and professionalism the police officers exhibited in their dealings with me,” he said in a statement.
“I expect to be penalised accordingly. I was extremely embarrassed by my failure and offer my sincere apologies.
“I expect that the community of Darwin will judge me harshly. I expect to be suitably chastised by the courts.”
Mr Tippett is expected to return to the Darwin Local Court on March 13 for a guilty plea.
However, the leaked house footage of his police interview in the Palmerston watch house has sparked its own investigation, with members of the legal community angered and concerned over the unauthorised disclosure of evidence.
In January NT Police Commander James J O’Brien confirmed an internal investigation had been launched by the Professional Standards Command.
Nearly two months later and NT Police have failed to answer if any officers had been questioned over the unauthorised disclosure, or if any cops were facing disciplinary proceedings as a result.
In response on Monday, a spokeswoman said the Professional Standards Command was “continuing to conduct internal inquiries” into the leaking of the NT Police watch-house footage.
“The footage was not authorised by NT Police for release,” she said.
Unlawfully disclosing confidential information carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison.
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