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With a cramped time frame, she did in 3 days what another firm dilly-dallied for 7 months. Lisa kept me informed. Helena made me feel comfortable in a sticky situation.

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I will definitely be using your company in the future if needed. Lisa kept me at ease also there were no grey areas with great advice. Helana is a great front of house.

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My legal matter concerning an application for a Domestic Violence Order was managed by Mr Thomas Allen. I am grateful for the outcome he obtained. Without Mr Allen and his ongoing support, I would be certain of a different result. It has been an extremely stressful period. Mr Allen’s astute ability to liaise on my behalf and his expertise was invaluable and for which I am grateful as I am now able to move forward. Thanking you

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I would like to take this opportunity to thank Armstrong Legal and specifically Mr Thomas Allen for representing me in my recent case. At the outset, I would like to thank Mr Allen for the very professional delivery of his legal service. From the first time that I met Mr Allen, I was very impressed with his demeanour and delivery as he made me feel at ease knowing the severity of my case. Mr Allen not only gave me the possible positive outcomes of the case but also the realisation of the worst-case scenario as far as sentencing goes. … I will certainly be recommending Armstrong Legal to any of my friends or family needing representation in criminal matters. Thank you so very much.

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Thank you for your representation and help. Fingers crossed for the next step and parole. I just want to say that from the first phone call to your office, your service has been outstanding and have put my mind at ease. I am glad I picked your number to ring.

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Thank you Armstrong Legal, the lawyers that have helped over the past 3 years but more importantly, thank you to Thomas Allen for the major part you and Mr Buckland played. Cannot thank you enough. Cheers.

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Hi all. I would like to thank Ms Lisa Riley for all her help with my legal issues this past month. It was the most harrowing experience of my life and thanks to her expertise, professionalism and knowledge of the law, I came out almost unscathed. I have no hesitation in recommending Lisa Riley and Armstrong Legal if you need help. The service is amazing and the cost was very minimal for the great outcome. Thank you Lisa for helping me in the most difficult time.

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I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. My whole life I was thrown away, you made me feel like I did mean something. I could not have asked for a better lawyer. Your compassion and love for your job is inspiring. Your upfront and honesty were muchly appreciated, you are a beautiful person. Thank you for not giving up on me and thank you for all the work you put in. I wish you all the best for the future and I will be recommending you to everyone I know. You're amazing!!!!

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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.

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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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."

This article was written by Lisa Taylor - Senior Associate - Gympie

Lisa holds a Masters in Law and a Bachelor of Laws. She also holds a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice from the Australian National University, and is admitted as a Lawyer to the Supreme Court of Queensland and as a solicitor to the High Court of Australia. As a senior associate, Lisa’s focus is on advocacy. She ensures all clients...

Circumstances of Aggravation (Qld)

When an offender is charged with a criminal offence, they are also often alleged to have committed the offence under circumstances of aggravation. Section 1 of the Criminal Code Act 1899 defines a “circumstance of aggravation” as any circumstance where an offender is liable to a greater punishment than they would be liable to if the offence were committed without the existence of that circumstance.

Circumstances of aggravation

Aggravating factors are factors particular to an alleged offence which may warrant a higher penalty. These generally refer to the circumstances of the offence or of the victim. Criminal statutes identify specific factors that should result in harsher punishments.

A common aggravating factor is a prior record for similar offending. This is an aggravating factor in relation to many traffic offences such as drink driving. Other aggravating factors typically relate to the circumstances of the offence itself, such as the use of a weapon or the severity of the injuries suffered by the victim of an assault. Other examples of circumstances of aggravation for an assault in Queensland are that the offender was intoxicated or that the assault occurred in a public place.

Repeat Offences

A court will usually impose a harsher penalty upon a defendant with prior convictions for similar offending. In some cases, this is mandated by legislation, such as for drink driving, for which the Transport Operations (Road Management) Act 1995 sets out different penalties for a first, second and third or subsequent offence.

Vulnerability of the Victim

In Queensland, in relation to some types of offending, courts will impose a harsher sentence if the victim is found to have been in a vulnerable category, either according to an objective standard or in relation to the defendant.

Vulnerability of a victim may be based upon the age of the victim, a circumstance that makes them particularly vulnerable or their relationship with the offender. For example, sex offences against children carry different maximum penalties depending on the age of the child involved and their relationship with the offender. The harshest penalties apply to sexual acts with children below the age of 12, children who are lineal descendants of the accused or who are under the accused’s guardianship or care.

How do I know if my charge includes circumstances of aggravation?

A circumstance of aggravation must be charged in the indictment or bench charge sheet that describes the offence when an offender is initially charged. It is then up to the Crown or police prosecution to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the aggravating circumstance existed.

To determine whether or not your charge includes a circumstance of aggravation you need to look at the section of the legislation that you are being charged under. If the offence is in simpliciter it will read with the section number followed by a single subsection, such as 339 (1) of the Act, which is the offence of assault occasioning bodily harm. If the offence was alleged to have been committed whilst armed or in a company (which are circumstances of aggravation) the section will read as section 339 (1) and (3).

Generally, when an offence is found to have been committed under a circumstance of aggravation, the maximum penalty increases. For example, the offence of assault occasioning bodily harm carries a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment, whereas assault occasioning bodily harm whilst armed or in company carries a maximum penalty of ten years imprisonment.

Challenging a circumstance of aggravation

A person may choose to contest a charge that involves a circumstance of aggravation entirely. Alternatively, the defendant may wish to plead guilty to the offence, but contest the circumstance of aggravation.

If a circumstance of aggravation is contested, the prosecution bears the onus of proof. This means that the prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubt that the circumstance of aggravation existed at the time of the offence.

If you require legal advice or representation in any legal matter, please contact Armstrong Legal.

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