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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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"Andrew Tiedt was very professional and considerate to personal circumstances and gave sound advice that resulted in the best outcome possible. Highly recommended."
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This article was written by Fernanda Dahlstrom - Content Editor - Brisbane
Fernanda Dahlstrom has a Bachelor of Laws, a Bachelor of Arts and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice. She has also completed a Master’s in Writing and Literature. Fernanda practised law for eight years, working in criminal defence, child protection and domestic violence law in the Northern Territory and in family law in Queensland.
Sex With Child Under 16
The age of consent is the age when a young person can lawfully consent to sex. The age of consent is different in different states and territories. The age of consent in Queensland is 16. The age of consent in Queensland is now the same regardless of the type of sexual activity and regardless of the sex of the participants. When a person has sexual contact with a child under 16, this may result in a range of child sex offences.
History
Until 2016, Queensland was the only state to have different ages of consent for different sexual acts – the age of consent was 16 for vaginal sex but 18 for anal sex. The law was changed by the Queensland government in 2016 as the old system was generally considered discriminatory and based on outdated attitudes towards homosexuality. In 2016, the Criminal Code Act 1899 was amended to remove the word “sodomy”, which was replaced with the words “anal intercourse”.
Similar age
Unlike most other states, Queensland does not have a provision allowing for consensual sex between children under 16 where both persons are of a similar age. Such laws are sometimes called “Romeo and Juliet laws” and they exist to allow for mutual and consensual sexual relationships to exist between people under 16.
In Queensland, any sex that involves a person under 16 is unlawful.
Child sex offences
There are various offences pertaining to sexual contact with children in Queensland.
Carnal knowledge of a child
It is an offence under the Act to have carnal knowledge of a child under 16 (Section 215). Carnal knowledge is defined as sexual penetration of any kind and to any extent, including anal intercourse, The provision sets out different maximum penalties for carnal knowledge of children of different ages, with the harshest penalties applying to sexual acts with children below 12, which carries a maximum penalty of imprisonment for life.
Indecent treatment of a child
Under Section 210, it is an offence to treat a child under 16 indecently. This provision is broader than the offence of carnal knowledge as it includes sexual contact that does not include penetration. It also covers the exposure of a child under 16 to pornography or to an indecent act between the offender and another person.
Acts preparatory to sex with a child
A range of provisions exists relating to acts preparatory to sex with a child under 16. These include taking a child for an immoral purpose, procuring a young person for carnal knowledge, using the internet to procure a child under 16 to engage in a sexual act and grooming a child under 16.
Defences to child sex offences
Where a person is charged with a sexual offence against a child who is over 12 but under 16, it is a defence if the accused believed on reasonable grounds that the child was over the age of 16.
In Queensland, unlike in some other states, it is not a defence if the child consented to sex. This is the case even if the child was 14 or 15 years old.
Sex Offender Registers
In Queensland, a person who is found guilty of specified child sex offences is required to register on the Child Protection Offender Registry. Offenders who are listed on this registry are required to keep police informed of their residential details and to notify police if they leave Queensland. They are also required to report to police every year.
The Child Protection (Offender Reporting and Offender Prohibition Order) Act 2004 sets out which offenders must register on the Child Protection Offender Registry. Persons found guilty of serious sex offences against children must register and remain on the registry for a period that varies depending on the offence committed and whether they have re-offended. However, a person found guilty of a single child sex offence who receives a non-custodial sentence is not required to register on the Child Protection Registry (Section 5(2)(b)).
The National Child Offender System, which has existed since 1997, records the details of all registered child sex offenders in Australia.
The details of sex offenders can be released by the Chief Executive of Corrective Services where it is in the public interest to do so. This may occur when individuals need to know about an offender’s accommodation or employment details. Before receiving confidential information about a child sex offender, a person must sign a confidentiality agreement. If they do not sign the confidentiality agreement, they will not receive any information that identifies the offender.
If you require legal advice or representation in any legal matter, please contact Armstrong Legal.
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