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Many people believe that lawyers are some of the highest earning professionals in Australia, but is that actually the case? And what areas of law pay the highest salaries? Thanks to a recent release of statistics by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), we can now reveal the highest paid jobs in Australia. The statistics also […]

Our specialist bail application lawyers have an extensive track record and years of experience obtaining bail for clients when other lawyers have been unable to. We have obtained bail for: Commercial drug supply cases in the millions of dollars; Serious sexual assault cases which have attracted media publicity; Murder and manslaughter cases; Clients who have […]

A teenager has been arrested and charged with a number of assault offences, including affray after a lingerie bar worker was stabbed in Sydney’s CBD. Poasa Junior Logova, from southwest Sydney allegedly stabbed the 34-year-old employee twice in the back at Concourse Bar. Scantily clad waitresses were seen fleeing the York Street bar after the […]

A story that captured the hearts and minds of Sydney residents has come to a bittersweet end, with a terminally ill cancer patient charged with stealing an 82 year-old’s mobility scooter. Pensioner Laurie Adams became a household name overnight after Police appealed to the public for information about the theft of his scooter. It led […]

Despite years of hard work and strong community support, a bill to make medicinal cannabis use a defence against drug driving charges has been rejected by NSW parliament. David Shoebridge, a member of parliament from the NSW Greens, moved the bill. Currently, the law makes it illegal to drive with any amount of THC in […]

A young man has been arrested after entering a mosque and committing property damage worth over $100,000. 20-year-old Kaiwan Zeabari was arrested after allegedly going on a rampage at Sydney’s Auburn Gallipoli Mosque on the evening of 1 November 2020. The incident has led to widespread condemnation as well as finger-pointing as to whether there […]

A renowned Australian actor who was initially refused bail has escaped conviction for allegedly assaulting Police due to his mental health issues. Former Home and Away star Joel McIlroy recently made a successful Section 32 Application at the Downing Centre Local Court. The Court received medical material which confirmed that McIlroy had degenerative brain disease […]

Tailgating another driver is defined as following a vehicle without keeping a safe distance between the two vehicles. There are some obvious dangers in tailgating a vehicle. Any sharp reduction in speed of the vehicle in front could lead to a collision as there is insufficient time to brake. Further, tailgating can cause the driver […]

An alleged childcare fraud that took advantage of COVID Centrelink payments has been brought to its knees with multiple arrests across Sydney’s south-west. The arrests occurred in dramatic fashion as officers dressed in balaclavas and bullet proof vests stormed numerous buildings with media on hand. It is another scalp for police attached to Strikeforce Mercury […]

A Sydney strata apartment manager who stole hundreds of items and housed them in an ‘Aladdin’s-cave’ inside the building has been jailed for numerous break and enter offences. 43-year-old Jaden Hati was arrested in 2019 after Police began investigating a spate of larceny offences in a Pyrmont complex. He was bail refused by Police and […]

A Sydney photographer charged with aggravated sexual assault has been granted bail after spending a month in custody. 48-year-old Garth Knight was arrested and bail refused on 25 September 2020 based on allegations that he sexually assaulted two models after they were tied up. The incidents are said to have occurred in 2005 and 2011 […]

A female disability worker has been jailed for stealing jewellery and cash from her disabled and terminally ill patients. 47-year-old Violeta Hansen appeared before Burwood Local Court charged with 15 fraud related charges. She was sentenced to an overall term of imprisonment of 24 months. The presiding Magistrate was scathing in his remarks on sentence, […]

A couple have been charged with the murder of a New Zealand firefighter who came to Australia to fight the bushfires. Ian Pullen was 43 years old when he was the victim of a hit and run. He was severely injured but still alive. However, the driver and passenger of the vehicle allegedly returned to […]

A man whose wife and unborn twins were killed by a drunk driver has given powerful evidence in Court and forgiven the man responsible. Bronko Hoang’s pregnant wife Katherine died after Richard Moananu’s vehicle crashed into her in September 2018. She was due to give birth within days. A 17-year-old learner driver was also killed […]

In news that has come as no surprise to many in the political sphere, former Health Services Union boss Kathy Jackson recently pleaded guilty to obtaining financial advantage by deception and stealing nearly $70,000 from the Union. Following negotiations between prosecutors and her criminal defence lawyers, Ms Jackson admitted that she fraudulently obtained $67,792.85 between […]

An Iranian-born doctor has been convicted of sexually assaulting his patients while they slept. Ali Khorami will spend close to 4 years behind bars after a jury found him guilty of a number of sexual offences against five women, aged between 16 and 29. He joins a long list of doctors who have acted inappropriately […]

An Australian State will become the first in the world to suspend all red light cameras and fines. It is one of the most shocking decisions taken by a Police force in recent memory. Following a landmark Supreme Court decision, South Australia will indefinitely halt collecting fines for running a red light. It is unclear […]

One of the most brazen gangs in recent memory has been brought to its knees after being charged with committing numerous robbery offences on Asian immigrants. Two men were arrested by detectives from Burwood Local Area Command on 25 September 2020 and refused bail. This means that they will remain in custody while their cases […]

In another heinous Sydney domestic violence murder, a 60-year-old man was recently sentenced to 17 years imprisonment for stabbing his 43-year-old ex-partner to death. His explanation for why he did it? Because she refused his sexual advances. James Fredes appeared before the New South Wales Supreme Court this week to be sentenced for murdering Erina […]

While most people who contravene the current border restrictions face a fine, one couple have found themselves in Police custody after allegedly being stopped at the border in the midst of a drug supply. Police allege that the male and female were caught with 2.5kg of cannabis in their vehicle while returning to New South […]

The phrase ‘Daylight Robbery’ has been in the English lexicon for hundreds of years. But its origin is far removed from the meaning of the phrase today. What Does Daylight Robbery Mean? ‘Daylight Robbery’ is a figure of speech to describe an unfair trade that is so clear and obvious that you could have robbed […]

In news that shocked the financial world, one of Australia’s largest banks – Westpac – has admitted that it breached money laundering and terrorism financing laws. The result? A whopping $1.3 billion fine. This is almost double the second largest fine of $730 million that was imposed on the Commonwealth Bank in 2018. However, despite it being […]

Traffic cameras have captured a shocking image of a driver appearing to snort a substance off a mobile phone while driving. Driving Under the Influence of a Drug is ordinarily seen by the Courts as a serious offence. The seriousness of this offence would be significantly amplified if a driver is also using a mobile […]

Imagine a lovely spring day. There’s a gentle breeze and you decide to head down to your local park to fly a kite. You’re running through the park, kite in hand. Suddenly, you hear someone yell out, “Hey, that kite’s annoying me!” You decide to pay it no mind. After all, you’re not doing anything […]

In one of the most shocking cases of Police misconduct, police Sergeant Rosa Rossi recently became the first Victorian female police officer to be sentenced to jail. Rossi pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining six properties worth $2.6 million. The 57-year-old will spend the next two years and four months in custody before she is eligible […]

Picture this: you’re waiting for the bus in the rain. Luckily, you’re keeping dry under an umbrella, or maybe the roof of the bus stop. The bus is arriving soon and you can’t wait to get on in your dry clothes. Next thing you know a car whizzes past. The vehicle’s tyres roll into a […]

Police have charged 32-year-old Wilbert Gabrielle Guevara with Dangerous Driving Occasioning Death, amongst other charges after he collided with 27-year-old Maria Alejandra Landazabal Contreras who was waiting at a red light. She was riding a scooter and tragically lost her life at Liverpool Hospital a few hours after the incident. Significantly, Mr Guevara was disqualified […]

The number of Assault Police offences have been revealed at a NSW parliamentary inquiry. In what should be positive news, the rates of alcohol-fuelled assaults against officers have declined, while the overall rate of violence against Police officers has remained steady. However, some are still calling for greater powers for Police. This is despite countless […]

Going to court and having to hire a lawyer can be stressful enough so the last thing you want is your lawyer speaking to you in another language with all their legal lingo!

In 2018 the NSW State Government officially rolled out the use of body worn video (BWV) cameras across NSW by members of the NSW Police Force. This means that police officers can now legally use BWV to record their interactions with members of the public, in both private and public locations. But what exactly is […]

One of the most crucial measures during this COVID-19 crisis is social distancing and self-isolating. Avoiding crowded areas and choosing to stay home can help to stem the spread of this virus and helps to protect the more vulnerable and immunocompromised members of our community. It might just be for 14 days, or it might […]

You’ve probably heard the saying, “ignorance of the law is not an excuse”. Well, in very limited circumstances it can be. In Proudman v Dayman Dixon J summarised the defence of honest and reasonable mistake of fact: “As a general rule an honest and reasonable belief in a state of facts which, if they existed, […]

Drink driving misconceptions are incredibly common. As criminal and traffic lawyers in NSW we talk to and represent people charged with drink driving every day. We’ve answered some of the most commonly asked questions questions, and addressed a few urban myths that need busting.   Drink Driving Isn’t a Criminal Offence This is another drink […]

If you’ve been given a court attendance notice or charged with a criminal offence you are required to attend court. While there are some exceptions, if you don’t attend court and don’t fall into one of the exceptions, the court may deal with the matter in your absence. Even during a pandemic, being too sick […]

If you’re going to court you’ve probably heard about the “traffic offenders program”. You may have done some research yourself, or you’ve spoken to a lawyer who might have suggested you enrol in a traffic offenders’ program. You’re probably wondering, “what is it” and “Do I really have to spend my time doing it” The short answer […]

The Coronavirus (Covid-19) is now a global pandemic. Governments worldwide are using legislative measures to isolate and quarantine people to slow the spread of the highly contagious and potentially fatal virus. Under the provisions of the Public Health Act 2010 (NSW) the Minister for Health and Medical Research can make orders or directions they consider […]

If you’ve been charged with a drink driving offence its likely that you’ll end up having to fit an interlock device to your car. Thanks to Smart Start Interlocks we now have a demonstration interlock device in our Parramatta office. Clients facing drink driving charges can actually see and hold the device that may end […]

Background of mobile phone detection cameras in NSW Mobile phone detection cameras were trialled in New South Wales between January and June 2019. The trial consisted of two fixed cameras and relocatable cameras which were moved approximately every 4 days. During that trial over 8.5 million vehicles were checked and over 100,000 drivers were found […]

Driving with cannabis or THC in your system in NSW Driving with a prescribed illicit drug in your oral fluid, blood or urine is an offence in New South Wales under s.111(1) of the Road Transport Act. Prescribed illicit drugs include: Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (also known as THC), Methylamphetamine (also known as speed), 3,4-methylenedioxymethylamphetamine (also known as […]

An Apprehended Violence Order (AVO) is an order that restricts the behaviour of a person, known as a defendant, for the protection of someone else, known as the protected person or PINOP. There are 11 possible conditions which can imposed to facilitate this protection. Apprehended Violence Orders can be divided into two categories; domestic or […]

In New South Wales many of the road rules also apply to horse riders. Under the Australian Road Rules horses are included under the definition of vehicle. This means that most minor regulatory offences apply equally to both car drivers and horse riders. But you may not have heard some of the more obscure laws […]

In the final minute of a Parramatta v Wests game in July 2019 our client entered the playing field and streaked naked across the pitch. He was arrested and charged with “Enter playing field without authority” under the Sporting Venues (Invasions) Act 2003 and also “Wilful and obscene exposure” under the Summary Offences Act 1988. […]

According to the latest BOCSAR statistics from March 2019, incidents of sexual assault in NSW are stable and did not experience a significant increase over the last 24 months. Between March 2018 and March 2019, there were just shy of 6,000 reported incidents of sexual assaults across New South Wales.  Of almost 6000 reported cases only […]

The power of police officers to enforce bail conditions, has come under question during a Law Enforcement and Conduct Commission (LECC) hearing. The hearing which is taking place over the next few days, follows an increase in complaints made to the LECC surrounding police officers engaging in what has been referred to during the hearing […]

As the weather warms up more people will be taking to the water over summer, but many don’t know the laws regarding drink driving on a boat. Drink driving laws apply to any ‘vessel’ which includes not only boats but jet skis, kayaks, sailboards and kite boards. The Law on Drink Driving on A Boat […]

Police have the power to conduct random breath tests on any driver in New South Wales. But when police shut down entire roads and test every single driver is it still really random? This weekend NSW Police are running “Operation Nabbed” once again. RBT sites have been set up at every exit along several major […]

At Astor Legal we pride ourselves on being one of the best criminal and traffic law firms in New South Wales. Today we are proud to announce that Astor Legal has again been recognised in several categories by the legal research and ranking publication Doyles Guide. Astor Legal were listed as a “Recommended New South […]

Verbal assault is a commonly heard but very misunderstood phrase. In New South Wales you can be convicted of common assault even if no physical contact takes place. There are also a number of other Acts of Parliament which create offences for what is often called a verbal assault. What exactly is an assault? Most […]

In Australian law a drone is referred to as a “remotely piloted aircraft” or RPA for short. The “Civil Aviation Safety Authority” or CASA who are responsible for regulating the use of drones. Australia has strict laws surrounding the use of drones. This is particularly the case near public places and airports. Breaches of the […]

In August 2019 social media was a-buzz after Victorian Police posted on Facebook pointing out it was illegal to pay using a mobile phone in a drive-thru. The story was picked up by media outlets and is being widely reported on. At the time it was a surprise to most people that using your phone […]

Electric scooters are gaining popularity in Australia. Advances in technology mean that they are now capable of longer ranges, increased speeds, and shorter charging times. Specialist scooter stores such as Scooter Hut stock a wide range of scooters ranging from a few hundred dollars up to $4000. They are quiet, lightweight, environmentally friendly, and can […]

In NSW unrestricted licence holders have a limit of 13 demerit points. If you incur 13 or more demerit points in any 3-year period, the RMS will send you a notice of suspension. Instead of serving a period of suspension, you can apply for a good behaviour licence under section 36 of the Road Transport […]