Dee Giannopoulos
This is a real case study by one of our lawyers. The person who is in charge of this area in the firm is Dee Giannopoulos. Dee is a Director and LIV Accredited Criminal Law Specialist at Doogue + George, recognised by Doyle's Guide as a Leading Criminal Defence Lawyer in Victoria (2026). She has 13 years of experience in serious indictable matters including sexual offences, pre-charge investigations, and complex County Court proceedings.
View full profile →This is a case study on incest and assault charges at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court, where all charges were withdrawn after cross-examination exposed significant inconsistencies in the complainants’ accounts.
What is alleged to have occured?
His daughters made video recorded statements alleging offences carried out against them when they were 4 and 6 years old. The accused denied all allegations and was extremely distressed. A listed bail application had to be postponed when we were advised that a further video recorded statement had been made and one daughter now alleged that the accused had penetrated her vagina with a knife.
What happened at court?
Our client faced charges of:
- Incest
- Indecent Act with a Child Under 16
- Unlawful Assault
We represented the client at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.
Once we received a transcript of the videotaped statements we made an application for bail. Bail was opposed by the prosecution. Cross examination of the informant demonstrated that several aspects of the allegations were implausible and fantastical. There was no physical evidence to back up the claims and no corroboration by other witnesses who the complainants alleged were present during the sexual assaults. Cross examination revealed that witnesses had been contacted by police but their versions did not back those of the complainants. The accused was released on strict bail conditions.
What was the result?
Six (6) weeks later the defence were provided with statements from witnesses who did not back up the complainant. The second transcript of the videotaped statement revealed even more inconsistencies and implausible allegations. The prosecution decided that they could not succeed in their case and withdrew all charges.
All charges were withdrawn.
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 25/02/2013
