A public servant involved in the investigation of Victoria's Lawyer X scandal has been charged for leaking confidential information to the media. The leaks, which originated from the Office of Special Investigator (OSI), led to a probe by Victoria's integrity watchdog. The public servant, granted a diversion by the court, will avoid conviction if they remain of good behaviour for six months.
A public servant who leaked details about an investigation into Victoria's Lawyer X scandal has been taken to court. The leaks originated from the Office of Special Investigator ( OSI ), established to probe the scandal involving lawyer Nicola Gobbo. Victoria's integrity watchdog launched an investigation to identify the source of leaks to the Herald Sun newspaper. The public servant, known as JB, was charged with making a false statement to the Victorian Inspectorate during its probe.
\Initially, JB denied leaking confidential material to the newspaper when questioned under oath. However, the inspectorate uncovered emails and phone calls between JB and journalist Shannon Deery, revealing JB as the source of the leaks. The inspectorate's investigation, codenamed Operation Shell, was unable to identify any other whistleblowers who had shared information with the newspaper. \JB, a senior investigator for the OSI, was granted a diversion by Magistrate Justin Foster, meaning they will not receive a conviction or a blemish on their criminal record if they remain of good behaviour for the next six months. Defence lawyer Sally Vardy argued that JB had an 'incredibly impressive' employment history before the leaks and that the investigation significantly impacted them. Magistrate Foster agreed to a suppression order, preventing JB's full name, gender, image, and current employer from being revealed until 2035. Despite not being prosecuted under laws that threaten OSI staff who disclose confidential details with a maximum of two years in jail and a $39,500 fine, JB faced serious consequences for their actions. The inspectorate emphasized that 'going to the media was not appropriate and had serious consequences,' as the stories contained inaccuracies and had the potential to tarnish the reputations of other OSI staff.
LEAKS LAWYER X VICTORIA PUBLIC SERVANT OSI MEDIA INVESTIGATION INTEGRITY WATCHDOG DIVERSION SUPPRESSION ORDER
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