Legal Aid NSW Criminal Law Division

A podcast series by Caitlin Akthar, Sophie Anderson and Paul Coady, with some special guests.

Each episode will summarise 5 cases relevant to criminal lawyers in NSW.

In this episode, Sophie and Caitlin highlight the following cases:

R v Narouz [2024] NSWCCA 14

Wells v R [2024] NSWCCA 8

Hickey v Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) [2024] NSWSC 191

AM v R [2024] NSWCCA 26

Baines v Rex [2023] NSWCCA 302

If you wish to reach out with comments or suggestions for future episodes, the hosts can be contacted on: [email protected]

A podcast series by Caitlin Akthar, Sophie Anderson and Paul Coady, with some special guests.

Each episode will summarise 5 cases relevant to criminal lawyers in NSW.

In this episode, Sophie and Caitlin highlight the following cases:

Elwood v Director of Public Prosecutions [2023] NSWSC 772

Tuxford v Director of Public Prosecutions [2023] NSWSC 1300

R v DK[2023] NSWCCA 281

McNamara v The King[2023] HCA 36

R (NSW Police) v Mainfreight Pty Ltd [2023] NSWDC 459

If you wish to reach out with comments or suggestions for future episodes, the hosts can be contacted on: [email protected]

A podcast series by Paul Coady, Caitlin Akthar and Sophie Anderson with some special guests. Each episode will summarise 5 cases relevant to criminal lawyers in NSW.

In this episode, Caitlin and Paul highlight the following cases:

ZXT (a pseudonym) v R [2023] NSWCCA 222

TM v R [2023] NSWCCA 185

Waldron v R [2023] NSWCCA 128

Ngo v R [2023] NSWCCA 201

Darlington v Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) [2023] NSWSC 1139

If you wish to reach out with comments or suggestions for future episodes, the hosts can be contacted on: [email protected]

A podcast series by Paul Coady, Caitlin Akthar and Sophie Anderson, with some special guests. Each episode will summarise 5 cases relevant to criminal lawyers in NSW.

In this episode Paul and Sophie highlight the following cases:

BDO v The Queen [2023] HCA 16

AB v R [2023] NSWCCA 165

XU v R [2023] NSWCCA 93

Al-Salmani v King [2023] NSWCCA 83

Commissioner of Police, NSW Police Force v Alahmad [2023] NSWSC 762

host can be contacted on: [email protected]

A podcast series by Paul Coady, Caitlin Akthar and Sophie Anderson, with some special guests. Each episode will summarise 5 cases relevant to criminal lawyers in NSW.

In this episode Caitlin and Sophie highlight the following cases:

R v Dyson [2023] NSWCCA 132

Ritchie v R [2023] NSWCCA 153

AD v State of NSW [2023] NSWCA 115

McQuillan v R (No 2) [2023] NSWSC 443

Commissioner of Police v Walker [2023] NSWSC 539

The hosts can be contacted on: [email protected].

Disclaimer: the views in this podcast may not reflect the views of Legal Aid NSW. This podcast contains reference to drug use, violence and trauma, listener discretion is advised.

Cody Baxter sits down with Brad, a Dharug and Kamilaroi man, father and former inmate. Brad shares his experience of being a young Aboriginal man in custody, advice for lawyers when working with clients in custody and his perspective of the legal system.

A podcast by Paul Coady, Caitlin Akthar and Sophie Anderson, with some special guests. Each episode will summarise 5 cases relevant to criminal lawyers in NSW.

In this episode Paul and Caitlin highlight the following cases:

BA v King [2023] HCA 14

PJ v R [2023] NSWCCA 105

Zheng v R [2023] NSWCCA 64

Lawrence v R [2023] NSWCCA 110

DPP v Rotumah [2022] VCC 1532

“A practical guide to sentences in the Local Court” - a podcast which does exactly what the title says!

This excellent informative conversation style podcast is between Robyn and Anna which unpacks what to do to prepare for a plea in mitigation in the Local Court.

NOTE: There are several complimentary materials which it is highly recommended that you read before or whilst listening to this podcast. Here is the link

Robyn and Anna have combined extensive experience in practising in solely in criminal law and are during this podcast they provide an insightful and excellent guide to what to do, say and prepare on behalf of your client.

Robyn Fraser began her legal career with Legal Aid NSW in 2003, and since then has worked in various areas of criminal law practice including Inner City Local Courts, the Indictable Appeals Unit, Parramatta Drug Court, Northern Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA), the Crown Solicitor’s Office (Inquiries team), and the Criminal Indictable Unit at Sydney Central.  Robyn is currently the Solicitor in Charge of the Newcastle Regional Office and is an Accredited Specialist in criminal law.

Anna Pankhurst started her career as a Tipstaff to a Supreme Court Judge in 2010, then worked at Crown Solicitors Office in the Inquiries and Torts sections. Anna then worked for the Sydney ODPP, before working at the Redfern ALS office where she managed the SCB practice and then the (the Bidura now Sydney) Children’s court. In 2015 Anna moved to Newcastle and returned to the ODPP. In November 2019 she commenced at Coffs Harbour Legal Aid as the Senior Solicitor Crime Practice Manager.

This Podcast is all about CHILD SEXUAL ASSAULT PILOT MATTERS: Practice, protocols, procedures and points of difference to other trial matters.

This podcast covers all the practical information you need about these matters.

Helen Shaw is a senior solicitor in Team 2 of the Criminal Indictable Section in head office at Legal Aid. Helen was admitted as a solicitor in 1998 and has practised predominantly in the area of criminal indictable matters in both private practice and at Legal Aid. Helen has instructed counsel in numerous “pilot” trial matters since their introduction at Sydney and Newcastle District Courts. Outside of law, Helen loves dabbling in foreign languages, travel (but Covid-19 has temporarily halted that passion), modern history, literature, food, sport, and genealogy.

In this podcast, solicitors Tim Khoo and Diane Elston discuss the Child Protection Register, Child Protection Prohibition Orders and some of the findings of the LECC review, ‘Operation Tusket’ into the NSW Child Protection Register (CPR).

Apart from a general overview of the legislative framework they discuss:

1. Why it is important for all practitioners to have a baseline knowledge of the CPR
2. How a person becomes a registrable person, and circumstances where practitioners can seek to avoid the registration of their clients, including the relatively new judicial discretion for children
3. Understanding the definition of a ‘single incident’ how it relates to registration and reporting periods
4. That ‘Operation Tusket’ revealed many errors made by the NSW Police in administering the CPR. The findings highlighted the need for practitioners to double check that their client has been registered appropriately and had their reporting period calculated accurately. They also discuss the practical measures to be taken if errors have been identified.
5. What a Child Protection Prohibition Order is and how it is different from CPR registration
6. Some practical tips for working with clients who are dealing with CPR issues

The fact sheet referenced in the podcast is able to be found on Legal Aid NSW Intranet along with Tim’s paper and also Diane's paper.

Tim Khoo is a Senior Solicitor at the Children’s Legal Service and is based in Parramatta. He has been working in the children’s criminal jurisdiction for many years and is an accredited Children’s Law Specialist.

Diane Elston is a Solicitor in the High Risk Offenders Unit. She is an Accredited Criminal Law Specialist and joined Legal Aid in 2019.