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 a charge of Rape resulting in the accused being acquitted of the allegations.
What is alleged to have occured?
A group of police officers entered the bar and they observed the client walk towards the bathroom and then try and leave the premises after exiting the bathroom. The officers thought the behaviour was suspicious and attempted to stop him by requesting his ID. A combination of stress at work and too much alcohol complicated this simple task and, unfortunately, the client did not co-operate with the officers. The situation became physical with more officers called as back up. The police struggled to contain the client – a solidly built man – as he continued to evade what was now an arrest situation. Eventually the police tackled him to the ground but the client continued to struggle, finally spitting on an officer before reinforcements arrived and he was transported to the cells. A series of unfortunate events later and the client was charged with multiple charges.
What happened at court?
The matter went to trial before jury. We represented him at the Melbourne County Court for the charge of rape.
What was the result?
Following trial, the jury found the accused not guilty and acquitted him of rape.
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
