Assault Charges
There are four types of assault that a person may be charged with, this is common assault, serious assault, assault occasioning bodily harm, and grievous bodily harm. In Queensland, any person who makes physical contact with another person, without that persons consent, may be charged with assault. However, in some cases, the physical contact need not occur, where a gesture or threatened use of force may constitute assault.
Bail Application
When you are charged with a criminal offence in Queensland, you may apply for bail. Bail is an undertaking which a person signs, promising to appear in Court on the date written on that undertaking. It may be the case for more serious charges that conditions are imposed on the bail undertaking, such as reporting to the police.
Domestic Violence
Queensland’s Domestic Violence legislation makes it easy for someone to be charged with an offence against their partner or a member of their family. If you have been found guilty of a domestic violence offence, such a conviction can mean the loss of employment or worse, a term of imprisonment.
Driving Offences
It is a criminal offence for a person in Queensland to drive while a relevant drug is present in their blood or saliva. This offence is aggravated if they are caught while driving under the influence, and the minimum and maximum penalties will increase accordingly. Driving under the influence of drugs imposes a minimum disqualification period of 6 months, whereas, driving with the relevant drug present in your system imposes a minimum disqualification period of 1 month.
Drug Charges
Any person who unlawfully has possession of a dangerous drug in Queensland is guilty of a crime. To prove guilt, the police must apply the facts to the appropriate section of the Drugs Misuse Act 1986, and prove each of the elements beyond a reasonable doubt. To determine the maximum penalty imposed, the police will classify the drugs by determining the type of drug/s you had in your possession and the amount.
Fraud and Dishonesty Offences
Fraud is where a person uses dishonest means to obtain property or a benefit of some kind from someone else. A person who has been charged with fraud may be liable to a maximum of 5 years imprisonment. However, if the person charged with fraud was an employee at the time of the offence, or received more than $30,000 as a result of the fraud, they may then be liable to 14 years imprisonment.
Sex Offences
Sex crimes is an umbrella term which refers to all types of sex-related offences, for example, sexual assault, rape, up-skirting, and possession of explicit material. Challenging the evidence with regard to these charges has become tenuous in more recent years. As such, if you have been charged with a sex related offence, you should speak to a lawyer to advise you on how best to proceed.
Theft and Burglary
A person who has been charged with burglary may be liable to 14 years imprisonment, an offence which may be easily increased to life imprisonment. A liability of life imprisonment is possible where the person committed the offence at night, used violence, was armed with a dangerous weapon, was in company with one or more people, or damaged the property.
Weapons Charges
In Queensland it is illegal for a person to unlawfully possess a weapon. As such, a person found guilty of this offence may be liable to a maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonment under the Weapons Act 1990. However, this may vary depending on the quantity and category of weapons the person had in their possession.
