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Snitching lawyer Nicola Gobbo is set to learn if she’ll be made to give evidence at a royal commission into her dodgy double dealings.
Commissioner Margaret McMurdo is set to hand down a decision on Friday on whether Ms Gobbo – who has offered to fake illness to avoid court in the past – really is too unwell.
Ms Gobbo, known as Lawyer X, has been called as a witness in the inquiry into police use of informers.
Her dual role as both barrister and registered police informer sparked the inquiry, which has spent months investigating her role in double-crossing clients by gathering intelligence for police.
Last week Ms Gobbo’s barrister Rishi Nathwani sought to have her excused from appearing, presenting reports showing she is suffering “mental anguish”, chronic pain and a severe stress disorder.
But Ms McMurdo asked that doctors be shown transcripts of recorded conversations between Ms Gobbo and her police handlers in the past, in which she appeared to state a willingness to feign medical symptoms to get a court adjournment.
The commissioner has the power to reject Ms Gobbo’s argument, and force her to give evidence. Failing to comply with that order carries a jail term of up to two years.
The inquiry is also set to soon hear from one of Ms Gobbo’s clients – a drug cook who she snitched on, represented and convinced to turn on associates.
The cook, who cannot be identified, has been issued with a notice to appear before the commission.
He would be just the second of Ms Gobbo’s clients to give evidence, and has been described by Ms McMurdo as “a key protagonist” in the Lawyer X case.
Australian Associated Press
