Senior Trial Advocate and Accredited Specialist in Criminal Law, Manny Conditsis represented an elderly woman who was in her late 80’s for having committed serious Centrelink fraud committed over a period of about 10 years totalling approximately $180,000. Notwithstanding that our elderly client was in ill health, the Commonwealth DPP [CDPP] strongly pressed for a full-time prison sentence. The CDPP argued that the offences were committed out of greed and not need.
Mr Conditsis briefed a forensic psychologist and neuropsychologist and their combined evidence satisfied the Court that our client was suffering from borderline Dementia, which proved significant.
After two days of legal argument, Mr Conditsis overwhelmingly satisfied the experienced sentencing Judge that our elderly client should not be sentenced to full-time prison and that an Intensive Corrections Order [ICO] was appropriate.
