Perjury & False Accusation Lawyers in NSW

We are a team of criminal lawyers who can assist you with matters related to making false accusations, concealing serious offences, tampering with evidence, perverting the course of justice and perjury. We have the experience and expertise necessary to ensure you receive the best possible outcome.

Perjury Lawyers in NSW

Our Criminal Law Team can assist you with matters related to perjury and false accusations, we have the experience and expertise necessary to ensure you receive the best possible outcome.

We’ve been defending the people of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Central Coast and the Hunter region since 1969 and have helped our clients to achieve the best possible outcomes in all Criminal Law matters.

We are used to dealing with the Police, and know all the ‘ins and outs’ of the Courts and Justice system.

If you have been charged with this type of crime, contact our Criminal Law Team today to book a teleconference or appointment. We’ll fight vigorously to protect your freedom and rights.

What is a ‘False accusation’ offence?

It is an offence under Section 314 of the Crimes Act to make false accusations.

Any person who makes an accusation intending a person to be the subject of any investigation knowing that that person is innocent will be guilty of an offence.

This offence will be dealt with in the Local Court unless an election is made for trial before the District Court.

The maximum penalty which can be imposed in the Local Court is 2 years imprisonment. However, if the case is within the low to mid range of seriousness, the likely penalty at the Local Court is a good behaviour bond with supervision for a period of 2 years. To determine how serious your case is you will need to discuss your matter with our Criminal Team.

If an election is made in the District Court, the maximum period of imprisonment is 7 years. However, for first time offenders, the likely penalty is imprisonment for 3.5 years.

To prove that you have made a false accusation, the police must prove that you personally made a false accusation (your accusation must first be proven false) and that the accusation was made deliberately. The accusation must have been made with the intention of making someone the subject of an investigation of an offence and that you knew the accused person was actually innocent of the offence.

Possible defences for making a false accusation include (but are not limited to) duress, necessity and self defence.

To discuss these in detail and work out which defence may apply in your situation you’ll need to give our Criminal Team.

What is a ‘Hinder an Investigation’ offence?

We have a page dedicated to this offence: Hinder an Investigation

What is a ‘Concealing’ offence?

It is an offence under Section 316 of the Crimes Act to deliberately conceal a serious offence.

This offence will be dealt with in the Local Court unless an election is made for trial before the District Court.

The maximum penalty which can be imposed in the Local Court is 2 years imprisonment. However, if the case is within the low to mid range of seriousness, the likely penalty at the Local Court is a good behaviour bond with supervision for a period of 18 months. To determine how serious your case is you’ll need to give our Criminal Team a call.

If an election is made in the District Court, the maximum period of imprisonment is 7 years. However, for first time offenders, the likely penalty is a good behaviour bond for a period of 2 years.

To prove that you have concealed a serious offence, the police must prove that a serious offence was actually committed by a person (not you), you knew or believed that an offence had been committed by that person, you had information which could have helped the police in apprehending the person who committed the offence or information that could have helped in the prosecution and/or conviction of the person who committed the offence and you failed (without a reasonable excuse) to bring that information to the attention of the relevant authorities.

Possible defences for concealing a serious offence include (but are not limited to) duress, necessity and self defence. To discuss these in detail and work out which one would be a suitable defence in your situation you’ll need to give our Criminal Team a call.

What is a ‘Tampering with Evidence’ offence?

It is an offence under Section 317 of the Crimes Act to tamper with evidence.

This offence will be dealt with in the Local Court unless an election is made for trial before the District Court.

The maximum penalty which can be imposed in the Local Court is 2 years imprisonment. However, if the case is within the low to mid range of seriousness, the likely penalty at the Local Court is a suspended sentence. To determine how serious your case is you’ll need to give our Criminal Team a call.

If an election is made in the District Court, the maximum period of imprisonment is 10 years. However, for first time offenders, the likely penalty is a good behaviour bond for a period of 2 years.

To prove that you have tampered with evidence, the police must prove that you fabricated, concealed, damaged, destroyed, suppressed, altered or falsified evidence (other than by carrying out an act of Perjury), or you knowingly made use of evidence that had been tampered with, you knew that the evidence would be required in judicial proceedings and you tampered with the evidence with the intent to mislead the judicial tribunal during the judicial proceedings.

Possible defences for tampering with evidence include (but are not limited to) duress, necessity and self defence. To discuss these in detail and work out which one would be a suitable defence in your situation you’ll need to give our Criminal Team a call.

What is a ‘Pervert the Course of Justice’ offence?

It is an offence under Section 319 of the Crimes Act to pervert the course of justice.

Perverting the course of justice refers to a person either performing an act or making an admission with the intention of deliberately interfering with the administration of justice.

For example, if someone was to provide the police with false details about a case (fabricating information) that led the police on a “wild goose chase” and thus distracted them from administering justice. It also refers to intimidating or threatening witnesses, jurors and judges, and disposing of evidence.

This offence is strictly indictable, which means it can only be finalised in the District Court. In the District Court, the maximum period of imprisonment for this offence is 14 years. However, if the case is within the low to mid range of seriousness, the likely penalty is expected to be an intensive correction order for 18 months. For first time offenders, the likely penalty is a suspended sentence.

To prove that you perverted the course of justice, the police must prove that you personally performed an act or made an admission and you did this with the intention of deliberately perverting the course of justice.

Possible defences for perverting the course of justice include (but are not limited to) duress, necessity and self defence. To discuss these in detail and work out which one would be a suitable defence in your situation you’ll need to give our Criminal Law Team a call.

What is a ‘Perjury’ offence?

It is an offence under Section 327 of the Crimes Act to carry out an act of perjury.

Perjury is an act of a person who makes any false statement on oath concerning a matter which is material to the proceedings, knowing the statement to be false.

Essentially, it refers to lying in Court while under oath.

This offence will be dealt with in the Local Court unless an election is made for trial before the District Court.

The maximum penalty which can be imposed in the Local Court is 2 years imprisonment. However, if the case is within the low to mid range of seriousness, the likely penalty at the Local Court is expected to be a suspended sentence. To determine how serious your case is you’ll need to give our Criminal Team a call.

If an election is made in the District Court, the maximum period of imprisonment is 10 years. However, for first time offenders, the likely penalty is imprisonment for 1 year.

To prove that you carried out an act of perjury, the police must prove that you made a statement under oath, the statement was in relation to or directly connected to judicial proceedings, the statement made was material to the proceedings, the statement was false and finally, that you knew it was false when you made it.

Possible defences for committing an act of perjury include (but are not limited to) duress, necessity and self defence. To discuss these in detail and work out which one would be a suitable defence in your situation you’ll need to give our Criminal Team a call.