Lucy Massouras, Criminal Lawyer
Lucy has always held a keen interest in criminal law. Whilst completing her Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of International Studies at Deakin University, Lucy completed her Honours thesis, “Aligning the punishment to the offender: an examination into the effectiveness of Australia’s sentencing practice for terrorism offenders”. Lucy has recently picked up her studies again and is completing a Master of Laws at Melbourne University.
Admitted to legal practice in 2021, Lucy worked as a lawyer at a specialist criminal law firm in the city and, before that, as an assistant at Clayton Utz, before bringing her insight and skills to our team at Dribbin & Brown Criminal Lawyers.
Lucy practises exclusively in criminal law and regularly appears in the various Victorian court jurisdictions. As a skilled advocate, Lucy has a range of experience, advising in both criminal law and intervention order matters, and frequently appears for bail applications, contest mentions, pleas of guilty, case conferences and intervention order matters.
Lucy understands the critical role of criminal defence in the justice system and every citizen’s right to a fair and just hearing, and she is committed to achieving the best possible outcomes for her clients.
Lucy’s recent case outcomes:
1. Firearm offences, Ringwood Magistrates' Court
Lucy’s client was charged with numerous firearm offences. The client was deemed a prohibited person by virtue of a previous Family Violence Intervention Order made against him.
Our client was pulled over for allegedly speeding and was drug tested. Our client produced a positive sample for methamphetamine and, at the time of moving the vehicle off the road, police discovered a shotgun, silencer and ammunition located in the vehicle.
The client also faced similar matters in other Courts and had a criminal history. The client was at serious risk of being sentenced to an immediate term of imprisonment.
The matters were case-conferenced and strategically dealt with separately. Following submissions made on the client’s behalf, the client was sentenced to a Community Corrections Order for the firearm offences and a fine for further matters.
2. Breaches of the Food Act 1984 (Vic), Dandenong Magistrates' Court
Lucy represented a corporate client charged with 21 offences against the Food Act 1984 (Vic). The client faced a cumulative fine of 2 million dollars and conviction.
The recording of a conviction would have had severe implications for the business’s future success. The company would have been placed on the public Food Safety Register, and a 2 million dollar fine would have crushed any opportunity for further operations.
At the Summary Case Conference, the charges were significantly reduced and following submissions made on the client’s behalf, the presiding Magistrate imposed an 8 thousand dollar fine with non-conviction.
3. Aggravated Carjacking, Geelong Magistrates' Court
A client was charged with aggravated carjacking, motor vehicle theft, false imprisonment and assault-related offences.
Due to the seriousness of the head charge, the matter was heard in the indictable stream, and the client faced sentencing for the statutory minimum of 3 years’ imprisonment.
Lucy carefully scrutinised the evidence; however, initial plea offers to the prosecution were all declined. The matter proceeded to a Committal Hearing, and doubt was raised about the complainant’s evidence. The prosecution then acceded to a favourable offer, which excluded the most serious offences.
The matter was successfully granted summary jurisdiction and consolidated alongside several matters the client faced in other Courts.
Following submissions, the client was immediately released from custody, having served a period of pre-sentence detention only.
4. Family Violence Case, Dandenong Magistrates' Court
Lucy represented a client charged with recklessly causing injury and common law assault. The client had a history with police and was accused of serious family violence.
The matter was summary case conferenced with the prosecution from the Mention stage to the Contested Hearing stage. Despite deficiencies in the complainant’s evidence, the prosecution opposed any withdrawal or reduction in charges.
After many months, the prosecution finally accepted the defence’s position and withdrew all charges just before the Contested Hearing.
5. Bail Application, Frankston Magistrates' Court
Lucy’s client was charged with several offences, including arson, theft of motor vehicle, driving offences, drug-related offences and dealing with property suspected of being proceeds of crime. The client had a lengthy criminal history that included similar offences. The matter was listed for a bail application.
The prosecution asserted that the client posed an unacceptable risk to public safety and of committing further offences while on bail. During cross-examination of the informant, Lucy identified weaknesses in the prosecution’s case based on limited circumstantial evidence. Lucy made submissions regarding exceptional circumstances, including that our client had been recommended for the Court integrated services program and had stable accommodation, concluding that the risks of bail were mitigated.
The Court agreed with the submissions and noted the weaknesses in the prosecution’s case. Our client was granted bail and released from custody.
Reviews from Google about Lucy at our Melbourne office
Once agin thank you very much Lucy …
