Our client was sentenced in the Wollongong Local Court to 7 months full time custody for a fraud. Our client had prior convictions for fraud matters, this being taken into account by Magistrate Stoddart on sentencing in the local court. Our client’s family instructed us to represent our client in the Wollongong District Court. We had the matter listed for a bail application in the District Court prior to the appeal hearing date. We managed to get an urgent bail application listed within 48 hours. Bail was granted by Judge Haesler.

The matter proceeded to severity appeal before the District Court in June 2018.

We prepared a very strong subjective case including getting psychological material and ensuring our client undertook a few financial counselling courses. which we knew would asssit in his appeal. We were able to persuade Judge Haesler on the appeal to allow the appeal and deal with the matters by way of a community service order. The jail sentenced was quashed.

Our client was charged with driving with a illicit drug in her blood. This is a serious charge which carries a 6 months disqualification upon conviction. Furthermore our client was on her provisional licence and had her child in the vehicle at the time of the offence.

Our client instructed our firm that a disqualification would have a detrimental effect on her family life, particularly on her child who was required to attend regularly medical treatment.

The matter proceeded before Magistrate Swaine at Fairfield. Our solicitor argued that our client had smoked cannabis a number of days prior to the offence and was not aware that cannabis can last in the blood for up to six weeks.

Furthermore medical evidence was presented regarding our clients need to drive her child to medical appointments. It was further argued our clients good character and remorse would enable the court to be lenient on this occasion and not record a conviction

The court agreed and placed our client a bond pursuant to Section 10. No conviction meant no penalty or disqualification.

Our client was charged with driving under the influence of drugs (cannabis).

The police Facts Sheet stated that our client smoked cannabis at 5:30 am then drove at 12 pm of the same day.

Whilst driving, our client had an accident in which he sustained injuries. Upon being stopped by police our client was breath tested and returned a reading of 0.00. He was conveyed to hospital for his injuries and was observed by police having blood shot eyes and being ‘dazed, drowsy, and with slow speech’.

This prompted police to question our client about his cannabis use, to which he admitted to having used that morning.

A blood test revealed our client had present delta-9-THC less than 0.005mg per letre of blood and delta 9-THC- acid 0.026 mg per letre of blood.

Our solicitors obtained expert evidence from a psychologist that found the level of cannabis in our client’s blood could not have impaired our clients driving ability. In light of this evidence, we advised our client to plead not guilty and take the matter to hearing.

At the Downing Centre Local Court hearing before Magistrate Gilmour, the prosecution submitted expert evidence that our client was influenced by THC to the extent that his ability to drive was affected. Our solicitor submitted our psychologists report giving evidence contrary to the prosecution. The conflicting expert evidence was enough to cast reasonable doubt over the issue.

Her Honour found our client not guilty. An excellent result achieved by our dedicated solicitors.

Our client appeared at Downing Centre Local Court charged with driving whilst under the influence of a prohibited drug. He came before the Court as a young man with a terrible traffic record, having been suspended 9 times in the short time he held a licence and having 13 speeding fines on his record.

Our client had a special need for a licence and showed he could change his ways having committed no offences since his last suspension other than the offence which brought him before the Court and having completed the traffic offender Program.

Our solicitors managed to negotiate the facts with the Police and with a well prepared case was sentenced to a good behaviour bond with no conviction and no disqualification for a period of twelve months.

Our client instructed our firm that a disqualification would have a detrimental effect on her family life, particularly on her child who was required to attend regularly medical treatment.

The matter proceeded before Magistrate Swaine at Fairfield. Our solicitor argued that our client had smoked cannabis a number of days prior to the offence and was not aware that cannabis can last in the blood for up to six weeks. Furthermore medical evidence was presented regarding our clients need to drive her child to medical appointments.

It was further argued our client’s good character and remorse would enable the court to be lenient on this occasion and not record a conviction

The court agreed and placed our client a bond pursuant to Section 10. No conviction meant no penalty or disqualification.