News and Media Releases

Convicted child exploitation offender Andrew David Henderson, 44, was sentenced by the Victorian County Court  to 8 years’ and 9 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to child pornography offences and failing to comply with reporting conditions under the Sex Offenders Registration Act (Vic) 2004. 

On 30 June 2016 Mr Besim appeared before the Victorian Supreme Court in Melbourne where he pleaded guilty to doing acts in preparation for, or planning, a terrorist act.  It was alleged that Mr Besim planned to kill a police officer during

On 5 September 2016, MHK a juvenile at the time of the offence, appeared before the Victorian Supreme Court in Melbourne where he pleaded guilty to a charge of doing an act in preparation for, or planning, a terrorist act.  At the time of his arrest, MHK was in the process of constructing as many as seven pipe bombs and at least one pressure cooker bomb.  He was following precise and

On 26 May 2017, 29-year-old Melissa Jade Higgins was sentenced by the New South Wales District Court to 7 years’ imprisonment with a non-parole period of 4 years for fraudulently claiming $3,646,269.72 in child care benefits, forging documents and dealing with the proceeds of crime. 

It the largest single case of proven childcare fraud in Australia’s history.

The Office of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions is warning members of the community to beware of scam callers claiming to be from the CDPP.

Concerned members of the community have reported scam callers are threatening legal action in relation to tax fraud as a means of coaxing them into handing over personal details or money.

On 17 March 2017, Khoder El Ali was sentenced by the District Court of NSW in Sydney to just over 17 years’ imprisonment for state and federal firearms offences. 

A 41 year old man, Kritsakul Thavapitak was sentenced in the New South Wales District Court to two years imprisonment following his part in a refund fraud syndicate that used identity crime to impersonate tax payers and lodge fraudulent refund claims. The matter was investigated by the Australian Tax Office (ATO) culminating in money laundering charges.

A 35 year old year old Sydney man, who pleaded guilty to offences relating to possessing and accessing child exploitation material, including a child sex doll, was sentenced in the Sydney District Court to a total effective sentence of 2 years and 3 months imprisonment with a non parole period of 1 year and 3 months.              

Deputy Director, Mr Scott Bruckard was yesterday awarded a Public Service Medal in recognition of his distinguished service to the law enforcement and justice community through spear heading counter-terrorism prosecutions.

Attorney-General for Australia, Senator the Hon George Brandis QC, has announced Ms Sarah McNaughton SC as the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.

Ms McNaughton has 27 years’ experience as a legal practitioner. She has been a respected member of the NSW Bar since 1996 and was appointed Senior Counsel in 2011.

• Today, 18 April 2016, Ms Amber Heard appeared in the Southport Magistrates’ Court. The matter was before Judge Bernadette Callaghan.

• Ms Heard plead guilty to the 1 charge of knowingly producing a false or misleading document, namely an incoming passenger card, contrary to section 137.2(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth). 

A 23-year-old Melbourne man, Matthew David Graham, who controlled multiple child exploitation websites on the ‘dark web’, was today sentenced to 15 years and 6 months imprisonment with a non-parole period of 10 years.