Una Ebsworth
This is a real case study by one of our lawyers. The person who is in charge of this area in the firm is Una Ebsworth. Una is a Director and LIV Accredited Criminal Law Specialist at Doogue + George, recognised by Doyle's Guide as a Preeminent Criminal Defence Lawyer in Victoria (2026). With over 15 years of experience, she acts in complex fraud, drug prosecutions, homicide, sexual offences, and appellate work to the Court of Appeal and High Court of Australia.
View full profile →This is a case study on burglary at the Sunshine Magistrates’ Court, where the long delay in charging led to the client receiving a $500 fine.
What is alleged to have occured?
Our client had been charged with a burglary that allegedly occurred in 2012. The police had not charged him until 2017 though because his DNA had only been put onto the police database in 2016 and they had used that to allege that he was the perpetrator.
What happened at court?
We represented the client at the Sunshine Magistrates’ Court.
The client instructed us that he wanted a sentence indication so that he would know what sentence he would receive if he pleaded guilty. The client had previously spent time in gaol for burglary.
We relied heavily on the long delay in the police charging the client as a mitigating factor. After hearing about the circumstances of the burglary case and especially the long delay in the police charge, including the client’s personal circumstances, the magistrate indicated that if our client were to plead guilty, he would impose a $500 fine.
What was the result?
The client ultimately pleaded guilty and received a $500 fine.
DISCLAIMER: This is a real case study of an actual case from our files. Details pertaining to the client have been changed to protect their privacy. The sentence imposed and the charge have not been altered. These case studies are published to demonstrate real outcomes and give an indication of possible tariffs in Court. We do not guarantee a similar case on these charges will get the same result. Please note that we post results at our discretion, therefore while many case studies are average results, others are notable for their exceptional outcomes. PUBLISHED 24/01/2018
