I just wanted to thank you for representing me on Monday, I was overjoyed & relieved with the outcome. I don’t think it could have gone any better. All the best, I hope you got to celebrate this one instead after work, you forever made a difference in my life.

I know I thanked you before we parted company but please allow me to reiterate in writing my sincere deepest thanks for defending me in court today. … Armstrong Legal certainly has a great Lawyer you are a credit to the company and I'm quite sure you will secure a very successful future! … My Kindest Regards and Thanks

- Client

Anastasia Qvist is an outstanding lawyer. My criminal law situation (family violence order) was difficult, complex and Ana's diligence saved me as I was going through the most difficult period of my life. Ana is down to earth, commonsense and she even kept our costs to a minimum. She is a skilled litigator and knows the ins and outs of the ACT Magistrates Court. She dealt skillfully with the DPP and is an excellent negotiator. You will get a fair representation and she genuinely cares about her clients. She has my complete recommendation. The lady goes to bat for her clients.

- Client

I would strongly recommend Anastasia to anyone who is seeking legal representation. As a first-time offender who was charged with a Level 2 Drink Driving offence, she walked me through every step of the matter and was very upfront and clear on all aspects of my case. She was always accessible when I needed advice. Her approach and advice were excellent. Under her representation, I received the best possible outcome and managed to avoid a criminal conviction. She was a pleasure to deal with throughout the whole matter.

- Client

Anastasia Qvist was very professional and helpful in every step of my matter. I got a very good outcome and I can’t thank you enough for your hard work and the Armstrong Legal team in Canberra. I would highly recommend her!!!

- Client

Throughout Angela has been the consummate professional. She maintained a calm, yet strong demeanour remained informative and completely open in her communication and took complete ownership of the situation. We felt confident we finally had an advocate to steer us out of the nightmare we were in, and she did so with great respect and sincerity. I cannot speak more highly of Angela. She has literally rescued our family from what looked very much like a hopeless future.

- Client

Words can’t describe how grateful I am to Trudie Cameron being my solicitor and to Andrew Tiedt presenting my case in the court. They both have been very supportive and amazingly professional and effective. I’ve got an absolutely fantastic outcome I couldn’t even dream about.

- Client

Soon after meeting Andrew I knew he was the solicitor I wanted to handle my matter. He immediately sprang into action which brought me stability and hope during a tumultuous time in my life. Andrew was never afraid to give me straight answers to my tough questions which is a true mark of integrity. He is clearly at ease in the court environment and I believe his calm and measured demeanour went a long way to helping me secure the best result from my day in court. I would certainly recommend you approach Andrew if you need assistance.

- Client

"Andrew Tiedt was very professional and considerate to personal circumstances and gave sound advice that resulted in the best outcome possible. Highly recommended."

This article was written by Andrew Fraser - Senior Associate - Canberra

Andrew works in the areas of criminal law and traffic law, providing practical advice in all of his clients’ matters. Andrew has, over many years, developed positive working relationships with prosecutors, magistrates and judges. His no-nonsense approach means he has a reputation for putting forward the best case possible for clients. Andrew has won many matters for his clients, including...

Sabotage

Sabotage is a serious offence consisting of the deliberate destruction of equipment or buildings to prevent the success of a competitor or to seek revenge on an enemy. Sabotage can take other forms and instances of sabotage have been on the increase in recent years with the rise of terrorism and technological advancements.

Sabotage is an indictable offence with a maximum penalty of 25 years imprisonment.

Definition

Section 423 of the Criminal Code 2002 outlines the offence of sabotage. A person can be charged with a sabotage offence if they damage another person’s property or if they intend to cause major disruption to another person or entity such as a government body, business or individual. Sabotage can also be technological such as accessing or damaging computer data that you were not authorised to access.

A person cannot be charged with sabotage if they participate in a protest, strike or lockout.

A person can be charged with a sabotage offence if the conduct occurred outside the jurisdiction and would have been an offence if it happened in the ACT. Examples of sabotage include damaging private property, or a public facility such as a university, a power company, telecommunications network, public transport, infrastructure or a public park.

A person can be charged with a sabotage offence if their conduct causes damage or contributes to another person’s loss.

Examples of damage include:

spray painting a public building;
slashing someone’s car tyres;
setting fire to public property;
throwing rocks and smashing windows in a building.

What actions might constitute sabotage?

Actions that could constitute sabotage include:

Damaging a public reservoir or fuel-storage depot;
Interfering with the operation of a city’s sewerage system;
Hacking government departmental computers.

What the police must prove

The police must prove the following:

that your conduct caused damage to a public facility;
that you caused the damage by committing a property offence, or by causing an unauthorised computer function;
that you intended to cause major disruption to government functions or public services or that you intended to cause major economic loss.

Possible defences

The following defences can be used to defeat a charge of sabotage:

that no damage or disruption was caused;
that the prosecution has failed to prove causation i.e. that your conduct caused or substantially contributed to the damage or disruption OR that it was not caused by the commission of a property offence NOR by an unauthorised computer function;
that the prosecution has failed to prove intent i.e. that you intended to cause major damage, major disruption or major economic loss;
that your action was part of a protest, strike or lockout;
that the place allegedly damaged was a private facility;
that you had authorisation to access the computer.

What court will hear the matter?

Because sabotage carries a maximum penalty of 25 years’ imprisonment, it is a strictly indictable offence and the matter must be decided in the ACT Supreme Court.

Penalties

The maximum penalty is 25 years imprisonment or a fine of 2500 penalty units, or both. Other penalties the court can impose are listed below.

If you require legal advice about sabotage or in any other legal matter, please contact Armstrong Legal.

WHERE TO NEXT?

If you suspect that you may be under investigation, or if you have been charged with an offence, it is vital to get competent legal advice as early as possible. Our lawyers are highly specialised in criminal law and will be able to guide you through the process while dealing with the various authorities related to your matter.

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