The Magistrate decided not to find parity with the co-offenders due to our solicitor’s submissions and instead ordered that the client be placed on a nine-month good behaviour bond. The bond was without conviction. 

This case evidences several things, including the importance of skilled legal representation navigating a complicated legal process, especially involving serious offences.

Our solicitor submitted to the court that whilst the offending is serious, the circumstances were drastically mitigated by his cooperation with police, his lack of recent prior criminal charges, his general lack of violent criminal priors, and a lack of sinister intent in the firearms’ use.

The court ultimately accepted this and did not order a term of imprisonment. Instead, an 18-month Community Correction Order was made, consisting of extensive community work and treatment for offending behaviour.

The Magistrate was satisfied with the submissions regarding sentence and imposed that the client be placed on an adjourned undertaking for six months to be of good behaviour.

This case highlights the importance of finding lawyers who specialise in crime and, particularly, of engaging lawyers who regularly attend the Children’s Court.

Upon considering the material tendered to the court and our solicitor’s submissions, the Magistrate imposed a moderate fine of $850 without conviction. The client was thrilled with the outcome of his matter and, more importantly, with the fact that he avoided a conviction on his record.

Submissions were made to the Magistrate about a potential defence and the low level of the breach before the court. The Magistrate was keen to finalise the matter and offered to impose a fine with conviction, which was a surprising indication but was very well received by the client.

The client instructed our solicitor to enter a formal plea of guilty to the charge and received a modest fine of $1000 and was convicted for the offence. This was a remarkable outcome for the client, given he had three prior offences for the same charge.

Following lengthy submissions by our solicitor, the Magistrate imposed a good behaviour bond. The sentence was made without a conviction.  The client was very relieved.