Amelia Ramsay
This is a real case study by one of our lawyers. The person who is in charge of this area in the firm is Amelia Ramsay. Amelia is a Partner at Doogue + George, recognised by Doyle's Guide as a Recommended Criminal Defence Lawyer in Victoria (2026). She has practised exclusively in criminal law since 2014, with a particular focus on serious and complex cases including fraud, foreign bribery, sexual offences, and pre-charge investigations.
View full profile →This is a case study on a historical sexual offences investigation, where a letter of advice to police resulted in the investigation being discontinued without charges being laid.
Our client was contacted by Victoria Police Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigations Team (SOCIT). He attended our office for advice prior to attending the interview for historical sexual offences and was represented by one of our solicitors during the interview.
What is alleged to have occured?
The client was asked to come in for an interview in relation to historical sexual offences alleged to have been committed over 30 years ago.
What happened at court?
We advised the client to make a no comment interview. Having a solicitor present during the interview made the client feel more comfortable and assured when giving a no comment interview. In addition, we were able to make notes about the questions and the allegations when they were put to the client. During a stressful interview, it can be difficult to focus on and remember what is being said during the interview.
The client was released pending summons.
Based on the details obtained during the interview and instructions provided by the client, we prepared a letter of advice that was promptly served on the interviewing police officer. The letter outlined reasons why the client should not be charged in relation to the offences. It detailed a defence to the charges and, further, why the prosecution would not succeed and why it was not in the interest of public policy to pursue the matter.
What was the result?
Almost 11 months later, we received notification from Victoria Police that they would not be proceeding with the investigation and the client would not be charged.
This was a good result. Having a lawyer during an interview for historical sexual offences will ensure that you are able to deal with the legal system smoothly and avoid any complications.
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 05/04/2017
