Author: Nicholas Crawford

by Nicholas Crawford

Criminal (drugs) Lawyer saves client from 25 years’ imprisonment

by Nicholas Crawford

Operation Oscar Ektara – Drug Trafficking with immediate parole

After a seven-month police investigation, our client was arrested in March 2017 for trafficking in the dangerous drug methylamphetamine.

With over 700 drug related messages identified by police relating to methylamphetamine purchases, the charge alleged against our client was supported by strong evidence produced by the Department of Public Prosecutions.

Nicholas Crawford instructed Christopher Wilson of Counsel in the Brisbane Supreme Court where our client entered a plea of guilty to trafficking methylamphetamine for a period of four months.

After hearing lengthy submissions and despite the strong circumstantial evidence against her, our client was sentenced to three years imprisonment with immediate parole.

If you are interested in Nicholas Crawford acting on your behalf, please contact us on 3009 8467.

by Nicholas Crawford

Client Acquitted on Armed Robbery Charges after District Court Trial

In May 2017 our client was arrested and accused of offences which occurred in August 2015 consisting of burglary while armed and armed robbery with the aggravating feature of being in company with a co-accused.

A co-accused named our client as the person armed with the firearm in the offence and the key perpetrator in the robbery.

Facing a potential four to five years imprisonment if found guilty, our client entered a plea of not guilty to both charges and had the matter set down for a jury trial.

During the trial, numerous witnesses gave evidence to describe the armed offender which conflicted with the build and identifying features of our client.

There was no supporting DNA, photographs or identification of any kind to support our client was the armed offender and no evidence to substantiate that our client could be positively identified as the gun man beyond reasonable doubt.

At the conclusion of the second day of trial, the jury returned with a not guilty verdict on both counts in under thirty minutes.

If you are interested in Nicholas Crawford acting on your behalf, please contact us on 3009 8467.

by Nicholas Crawford

Trafficking in Cannabis substituted with 5 Counts of Supply

Operation North Goldensilk was established in 2015 to investigate drug related activities. Telecommunications interception service warrants were utilised throughout the operation. As a result of intercepted communications and surveillance our client was charged with the serious charge of trafficking in the dangerous drug cannabis for a 4-month period.

Trafficking in dangerous drugs at the time of the offence carried a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment.

Following an extensive review of the brief of evidence, our office sent a submission to the Crown to substitute the trafficking charge with five counts of supplying dangerous drugs. The Crown accepted this submission and discontinued the trafficking charge in lieu of the five supply charges.

Counsel instructed by our office appeared with our client before the Brisbane District Court earlier this year for his sentence. The Presiding Judge sentenced our client to 12 months imprisonment for each supply count to be served concurrently. These terms of imprisonment were suspended for a period of eighteen months. This was an excellent result for our client.

If you are interested in our criminal lawyers acting on your behalf, please call Nicholas Crawford on 3009 8467, Alan Phillips on 3009 8469 or Tyronne Thomas on 3009 8481.

by Nicholas Crawford

Wholly Suspended Sentence for 70k Fraud in Melbourne Magistrates Court

Nicholas Crawford of our office appeared before the Heidelberg Magistrates Court in Melbourne in April 2018 in relation to a false accounting and theft investigation.

The allegations spanned over a three-year period between 2003 and 2005 during the time our client was employed with Flight Centre.

While she was employed there, police alleged that our client stole over $58,000 in cash and used false accounting techniques to obtain free flights for herself, family and friends in excess of $27,000.

After reviewing the brief of evidence, our office determined that several charges were not sufficiently substantiated. Our office provided a submission to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution’s office which resulted in the discontinuance of 10 charges.

Our client entered a plea of guilty to the remaining charges and following submissions by Counsel instructed by our office, the Presiding Magistrate sentenced our client to a wholly-suspended sentence of 12 months.

Considering the amount of money involved, this was an excellent result for our client.

If you are interested in our criminal lawyers acting on your behalf, please call Nicholas Crawford on 3009 8467, Alan Phillips on 3009 8469 or Tyronne Thomas on 3009 8481.

by Nicholas Crawford

Security Guard Acquitted of Grievous Bodily Harm Charge Following District Court Trial

In September of 2015 our client was working as a security guard at the Mon Jomo Hotel. The complainant in the matter had been asked to leave the venue by our client. As the complainant was leaving he pushed our client and our client reacted by doing the same. The complainant in the matter then again pushed our client. Our client then pushed him back. This push caused the complainant to lose his footing and land onto the tiled area at the front door of the venue. The complainant suffered extensive injuries and police alleged that these injuries were consistent with Grievous Bodily Harm.

Our client was subsequently charged with the offence of Grievous Bodily Harm. This matter was committed to the Brisbane District Court for trial as Nick Crawford, the solicitor with carriage had the view that there were high prospects of acquittal. The trial was before the Brisbane District Court in October of 2017. Our client was found not guilty by the jury for the count of Grievous Bodily Harm and was acquitted.

Grievous Bodily Harm carries a maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonment. Therefore, this acquittal was the best possible outcome for our client.

If you are interested in our criminal lawyers acting on your behalf, please call Nicholas Crawford on 3009 8467, Alan Phillips on 3009 8469 or Tyronne Thomas on 3009 8481.

by Nicholas Crawford

Operation Oscar Playwright – Wholly Suspended Sentence for Drug Trafficking

In 2017 our client was charged with trafficking in the dangerous drug methylamphetamine for a period of twelve months. In 2018 the Department of Public Prosecutions later provided a draft schedule of facts which provided for a significantly larger trafficking period of twenty-two months.

After reviewing substantial telephone intercept material in the brief of evidence, Nicholas Crawford made a submission to the Department of Public Prosecutions to reduce the trafficking period back to twelve months to reflect the contents of the brief of evidence.

This submission was accepted and our client entered a plea of guilty to trafficking in dangerous drugs for a one-year period, possessing dangerous drugs and possessing a thing used in connection with trafficking in a dangerous drug.

Nicholas Crawford appeared instructing Douglas Wilson of Counsel for the Supreme Court sentence. Our client was sentenced to three years’ probation for possessing dangerous drugs and five years’ imprisonment which was wholly suspended for a period of five years for trafficking in dangerous drugs.

If you are interested in Nicholas Crawford acting on your behalf, please contact us on 3009 8467.