Articles

NRL star Jarryd Hayne has been released from jail after his sexual assault appeal was allowed and convictions overturned. This is the second successful appeal for the two-time Dally M winner. He has been through three trials to date. Hayne was found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman at her Newcastle following a District Court […]

The age of consent varies across Australian states. The idea of an age of consent is designed to protect children, who are incapable of consenting due to their lack of maturity. Due to the complexity of sexual assault charges, it is important to consult an experienced criminal defence lawyer if the age of consent is […]

Central Coast Mariners forward Angel Torres has been charged with sexual assault and suspended by Football Australia. The suspension is currently on a ‘no-fault’ basis until the matter is resolved – something that could take over 12 months. The club released a statement emphasising that no finding of guilt has yet been made. Angel Torres […]

Stealthing laws are a relatively new phenomenon in respect of sexual assault legislation. It has gained notoriety in recent years but there is still legal ambiguity surrounding stealthing in Australia. The ACT, Tasmania, NSW and Victoria have introduced legislation criminalising stealthing in the last year. A recent review of sexual assault legislation in Queensland recommended […]

The release of the latest sexual assault sentencing statistics have revealed that three out of four offenders received a jail term. The analysis from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) assessed cases throughout Australia between 2010-11 and 2019-20. There was a total of 53,570 sexual assault offenders in that period. The average term of imprisonment […]

The question of how to beat a sexual assault charge is one that criminal defence lawyers field on a regular basis. In today’s climate, defending these allegations has become extremely difficult. This is due to a range of factors such as the onset of the ‘metoo’ movement, changing attitudes to accusations and the introduction of […]

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 […]

Following the withdrawal of all charges against Bruce Lehrmann, the question of how to get sexual assault charges dropped has been the subject of much conjecture. The repercussions for anyone found guilty of a sexual assault offence are devastating to both their reputation and livelihood. Indeed, Mr Lehrmann suffered significant damage to his reputation despite […]

The Bruce Lehrmann and Brittany Higgins trial that gripped the nation is approaching an end with the jury now deliberating their decision. Lehrmann has pleaded not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent. The trial heard from both parties as well as several prominent witnesses. There was lengthy cross-examination with revelations of inconsistencies in the evidence […]

New affirmative consent laws in relation to sexual assault cases have been introduced in NSW. The amendments to the legislation were revealed by Attorney-General Mark Speakman as ‘common sense’. The reforms to sexual assault consent laws go even further than what was proposed by the Law Reform Commission.   What is consent? Consent is when […]