News and Media Releases

On 12 February 2016, Mr Jared Brown was convicted by a Victorian County Court jury of two charges of importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug.  The charges related to the importation of 48kg of pure methamphetamine into Australia.  The methamphetamine was concealed in motor vehicle engines, which were imported into Melbourne from California. 

On 4 December 2015 Mr El Sabsabi appeared before the Victorian Supreme Court in Melbourne where he pleaded guilty to two rolled up charges of doing acts preparatory to incursions into a foreign State, namely Syria, for the purpose of engaging in hostile activities.

Perth accountant, Peter Stamatopoulos, was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment, with a non-parole period of four years on Thursday 22 June in Perth District Court after pleading guilty to dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage of more than $2m. Mr Stamatopoulos lodged fraudulent tax returns on behalf of family members and clients without their consent or knowledge.

Waste management company Cleanaway has been convicted and fined $650,000 over a chemical fire in Adelaide that injured an employee.

Judge Geraldine Davison handed down the penalty in the District Court of South Australia today following an investigation by federal work health and safety regulator Comcare.

The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions Townsville office will be closed today (27 March 2017)  given the impending crossing of Tropical Cyclone Debbie in North Queensland tomorrow morning.

Today, two men, Omar Al-Kutobi and Mohammad Kiad were sentenced in the Supreme Court of New South Wales by the Honourable Justice Peter Garling, for conspiring with each other to carry out acts in preparation for, or planning, a terrorist act. Al-Kutobi  and Kiad were each sentenced to 20 years imprisonment.

Sevdet Besim has today been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for doing acts in preparation for, or planning, a terrorist act.  A non-parole period of 7 years and 6 months was fixed.  It was alleged that Mr Besim planned to kill a police officer during Anzac Day commemorations in 2015 and then use the officer’s weapon to commit further acts of violence.

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.