Importation of a Prohibited Import (drug), Possession of a Prohibited Import, Committal Proceeding , Notice of Discontinuance, Case Dismissed.
Ms Hancock of our office acted on behalf of an Iranian refugee, the mother of two school-aged children. The matter concerned prohibited import. Police had charged her with attempting to import and possess a commercial quantity of methamphetamine. Postal services delivered the package containing the drugs to her Melbourne home. Our client had signed for the package. Soon after the controlled delivery, the Australian Federal Police arrested her.
Our client was bailed. However, her bridging visa had expired, so authorities placed her in immigration detention. The authorities also removed her two young children from the community and put them in immigration detention with her.
Ms Hancock appeared as solicitor advocate at the Committal hearing and cross examined a number of witnesses. After the Committal and following consideration of all the evidence, we prepared a submission to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (CDPP). Our solicitor argued that the case against our client ought should discontinue. We quoted relevant parts of the Committal evidence as support.
Slades and Parsons submitted that there was no evidence that our client had sufficient knowledge to have committed any offence. The CDPP ultimately accepted this and discontinued the charges against our client.
Our representation ensured that the courts essentially withdrew these serious charges against our client. This was an excellent outcome for her. She would have otherwise been facing an immediate term of imprisonment. An immigration law firm is now assisting our client and her children to apply for a bridging visa to return to the community.