Paul Coghlan (judge)

Last updated

Paul Coghlan AO is a former Trials Division and Court of Appeals justice at the Supreme Court of Victoria. He has been practicing law since 1969 and was the principal judge of the criminal division of the Court between 2010 and 2012. Between 2000 and 2007 he served as Director of Public Prosecutions and Chief Crown Prosecutor. [1] He retired from the Bench in 2014. [2]

Coghlan was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours for "distinguished service to the law, and to the judiciary, and to the administration and review of criminal justice". [3]

On April 11, 2011 Coghlan sentenced Arthur Freeman to life (32 Years non parole) for throwing his 4 Year old daughter Darcey off the West Gate Bridge. [4]

On April 14, 2021 Coghlan sentenced Mohinder Singh Bajwa to 22 Years (18 Years and 6 Months non parole) over the deaths of four police officers killed on the Eastern Freeway on April 22, 2020. [5]

Related Research Articles

Life imprisonment is any sentence of imprisonment for a crime under which convicted people are to remain in prison either for the rest of their natural lives or until pardoned, paroled or otherwise commuted to a fixed term. Crimes for which, in some countries, a person could receive this sentence include murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, apostasy, terrorism, child abuse resulting in death, rape, child rape, espionage, treason, high treason, drug dealing, drug trafficking, drug possession, human trafficking, severe cases of fraud, severe cases of financial crimes, aggravated criminal damage in English law, and aggravated cases of arson, kidnapping, burglary, or robbery which result in death or grievous bodily harm, piracy, aircraft hijacking, and in certain cases genocide, ethnic cleansing, crimes against humanity, certain war crimes or any three felonies in case of three-strikes law. Life imprisonment can also be imposed, in certain countries, for traffic offenses causing death. Life imprisonment is not used in all countries; Portugal was the first country to abolish life imprisonment, in 1884.

Michael McKevitt was an Irish republican and paramilitary leader. He was the Provisional Irish Republican Army's Quartermaster General. Due to the Provisional IRA's involvement in the Northern Ireland peace process, he formed the Real IRA in protest. His role in the Real IRA led to him being convicted of directing terrorism as the leader of the paramilitary organisation.

Eastern Freeway (Melbourne)

The Eastern Freeway is an urban freeway in eastern Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. It is one of the most important freeways in terms of commuting to the city, connecting Alexandra Parade and Hoddle Street in the inner suburbs, with EastLink tollway farther east. It consists of between three and six lanes in each direction, also an inbound transit lane reserved for vehicles with two or more occupants during peak hours.

Bilal Skaf Lebanese Australian serial gang rapist (born 1981)

Bilal Skaf is a serial gang rapist who led groups of Lebanese-Australian men who committed gang rape attacks against women and girls in Sydney in 2000.

Probation and Parole officers are officials appointed to investigate, report on, and supervise the conduct of convicted offenders on probation and/or those released from incarceration to community supervision such as parole. Most probation and parole officers are employed by the government of the jurisdiction in which they operate, although some are employed by private companies that provide contracted services to the government.

<i>The Onion Field</i> 1973 novel by Joseph Wambaugh

The Onion Field is a 1973 nonfiction book by Joseph Wambaugh, a sergeant for the Los Angeles Police Department, chronicling the kidnapping of two plainclothes LAPD officers by a pair of criminals during a traffic stop and the subsequent murder of one of the officers.

In England and Wales, life imprisonment is a sentence that lasts until the death of the prisoner, although in most cases the prisoner will be eligible for early release after a minimum term set by the judge. In exceptional cases, however, a judge may impose a "whole life order", meaning that the offender is never considered for parole, although they may still be released on compassionate grounds at the discretion of the Home Secretary. Whole life orders are usually imposed for aggravated murder, and can only be imposed where the offender was at least 21 years old at the time of the offence being committed.

The following is the Australian Table of Precedence.

  1. The Queen of Australia: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
  2. The Governor-General of Australia: His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC, DSC, FTSE
  3. Governors of states in order of appointment:
    1. Governor of Victoria Her Excellency the Honourable Linda Dessau AC
    2. Governor of Western Australia His Excellency the Honourable Kim Beazley AC
    3. Governor of New South Wales Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC, QC
    4. Governor of Tasmania Her Excellency the Honourable Barbara Baker AC
    5. Governor of South Australia Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC
    6. Governor of Queensland Her Excellency the Honourable Jeannette Young, PSM
  4. The Prime Minister: The Honourable Scott Morrison MP
  5. The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives in order of election:
    1. President of the Senate Senator the Honourable Slade Brockman
    2. Speaker of the House of Representatives The Honourable Andrew Wallace MP
  6. The Chief Justice of Australia: The Honourable Chief Justice Susan Kiefel AC
  7. Senior diplomatic posts:
    1. Ambassadors and High Commissioners in order of date of presentation of the Letters of Credence or Commission
    2. Chargés d'affaires en pied or en titre in order of date of presentation of the Letters of Credence or Commission
    3. Chargés d'affaires and Acting High Commissioners in order of date of assumption of duties
  8. Members of the Federal Executive Council:
    1. Ministry List
  9. Administrators of Territories in order of appointment:
    1. Administrator of Norfolk Island
    2. Administrator of the Australian Indian Ocean Territories
    3. Administrator of the Northern Territory
  10. The Leader of the Opposition: The Honourable Anthony Albanese MP
  11. Former holders of high offices:
    1. Former Governors-General in order of leaving office:
      1. The Hon. Bill Hayden AC (1989–1996)
      2. The Hon. Sir William Deane AC KBE QC (1996–2001)
      3. The Rt. Rev and Hon. Dr Peter Hollingworth AC OBE (2001–2003)
      4. The Hon. Dame Quentin Bryce AD CVO (2008–2014)
      5. General the Hon. Sir Peter Cosgrove AK CVO MC (2014–2019)
    2. Former Prime Ministers in order of leaving office:
      1. The Hon. Paul Keating (1991–1996)
      2. The Hon. John Howard OM AC SSI (1996–2007)
      3. The Hon. Kevin Rudd AC
      4. The Hon. Julia Gillard AC (2010–2013)
      5. The Hon. Tony Abbott AC (2013–2015)
      6. The Hon. Malcolm Turnbull AC (2015–2018)
    3. Former Chief Justices in order of leaving office:
      1. The Hon. Sir Anthony Mason AC KBE GBM QC (1987–1995)
      2. The Hon. Sir Gerard Brennan AC KBE GBS QC (1995–1998)
      3. The Hon. Murray Gleeson AC GBS QC (1998–2008)
      4. The Hon. Robert French AC (2008–2017)
  12. Premiers of states in order of state populations, then the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory:
    1. Premier of New South Wales
    2. Premier of Victoria
    3. Premier of Queensland
    4. Premier of Western Australia
    5. Premier of South Australia
    6. Premier of Tasmania
    7. Chief Minister of the Northern Territory
  13. Justices of the High Court in order of appointment:
    1. The Hon. Stephen Gageler AC
    2. The Hon. Patrick Keane AC
    3. The Hon. Michelle Gordon AC
    4. The Hon. James Edelman
    5. The Hon. Simon Steward
    6. The Hon. Jacqueline Sarah Gleeson
  14. Senior judges:
    1. Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Australia
    2. President of the Fair Work Commission
  15. Chief Justices of States in order of appointment:
    1. Chief Justice of New South Wales
    2. Chief Justice of South Australia
    3. Chief Justice of Tasmania
    4. Chief Justice of Queensland
    5. Chief Justice of Victoria
    6. Chief Justice of Western Australia
  16. Australian members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom in order of appointment:
    1. The Rt Hon. Ian Sinclair
    2. The Rt Hon. Sir William Heseltine
  17. The Chief of the Defence Force
  18. Chief Judges of Federal and Territory Courts in order of appointment
    1. Chief Justice of the Australian Capital Territory
    2. Chief Justice of the Northern Territory
    3. Chief Justice of the Family Court of Australia
  19. Members of Parliament
  20. Judges of the Federal Court of Australia and Family Court of Australia, and Deputy presidents of the Fair Work Commission in order of appointment
  21. Lord Mayors of capital cities in order of city populations:
    1. Lord Mayor of Sydney
    2. Lord Mayor of Melbourne
    3. Lord Mayor of Brisbane
    4. Lord Mayor of Perth
    5. Lord Mayor of Adelaide
    6. Lord Mayor of Hobart
    7. Lord Mayor of Darwin
  22. Heads of religious communities according to the date of assuming office in Australia
  23. Presiding officers of State Legislatures in order of appointment, then Presiding Officer of the Northern Territory legislature:
    1. Speaker of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
    2. Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland
    3. President of the Victorian Legislative Council
    4. Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
    5. President of the Tasmanian Legislative Council
    6. President of the South Australian Legislative Council
    7. Speaker of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
    8. President of the New South Wales Legislative Council
    9. President of the Western Australian Legislative Council
    10. Speaker of the Tasmanian House of Assembly
    11. Speaker of the South Australian House of Assembly
    12. Speaker of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
  24. Members of State Executive Councils in order of state populations, and then members of the Northern Territory Executive Council:
    1. Executive Council of New South Wales
    2. Executive Council of Victoria
    3. Executive Council of Queensland
    4. Executive Council of Western Australia
    5. Executive Council of South Australia
    6. Executive Council of Tasmania
    7. Executive Council of the Northern Territory
  25. Leaders of the Opposition of State Legislatures in order of state populations, then in the Northern Territory:
    1. Leader of the Opposition of New South Wales
    2. Leader of the Opposition of Victoria
    3. Leader of the Opposition of Queensland
    4. Leader of the Opposition of Western Australia
    5. Leader of the Opposition of South Australia
    6. Leader of the Opposition of Tasmania
    7. Leader of the Opposition of the Northern Territory
  26. Judges of State and Territory Supreme Courts in order of appointment:
    1. Supreme Court of New South Wales
    2. Supreme Court of Victoria
    3. Supreme Court of Queensland
    4. Supreme Court of Western Australia
    5. Supreme Court of South Australia
    6. Supreme Court of Tasmania
    7. Supreme Court of the Northern Territory
  27. Members of State Legislatures in order of state populations:
    1. New South Wales Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council
    2. Victorian Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council
    3. Queensland Legislative Assembly
    4. Western Australian Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council
    5. South Australian House of Assembly and Legislative Council
    6. Tasmanian House of Assembly and Legislative Council
    7. Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
  28. The Secretaries of Departments of the Australian Public Service and their peers and the Chiefs of the Air Force, Army, and Navy and Vice Chief of the Defence Force in order of first appointment to this group:
    1. Vice Chief of the Defence Force
    2. Chief of Navy
    3. Chief of Army
    4. Chief of Air Force
  29. Consuls-General, Consuls and Vice-Consuls according to the date on which recognition was granted
  30. Members of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly
  31. Recipients of Decorations or Honours from the Sovereign
  32. Citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia
Adrian Fulford

Sir Adrian Bruce Fulford, styled The Rt Hon. Lord Justice Fulford, is a Lord Justice of Appeal and became, in 2017, the first Investigatory Powers Commissioner, a post he held until October 2019, when he became Vice-President of the Court of Appeal, in succession to Lady Justice Hallett DBE.

Robert Richter QC is an Australian barrister, based in Melbourne. Richter has handled a number of high-profile cases including defendants unpopular in public opinion. Mr Richter QC is reputed to cost between $12,000 and $15,000 a day. He is an adjunct professor at Victoria University. He is a critic of human rights violations and advocates for the rule of law.

Martin Leach, is a convicted rapist and double murderer in Australia, and has been described as one of, if not the Northern Territory's worst, killer.

In the United States, life imprisonment is amongst the most severe punishments provided by law, depending on the state, and second only to the death penalty. According to a 2013 study, 1 of every 2,000 inhabitants of the U.S. were imprisoned for life as of 2012. Many U.S. states can release a convict on parole after a decade or more has passed, but in California, people sentenced to life imprisonment can normally apply for parole after seven years. The laws in the United States categorize life sentences as "determinate life sentences" or "indeterminate life sentences," the latter indicating the possibility of an abridged sentence, usually through the process of parole. For example, sentences of "15 years to life," "25 years to life," or "life with mercy" are called "indeterminate life sentences", while a sentence of "life without the possibility of parole" or "life without mercy" is called a "determinate life sentence". The potential for parole is not assured but discretionary, making it an indeterminate sentence. Even if a sentence explicitly denies the possibility of parole, government officials may have the power to grant an amnesty to reprieve, or to commute a sentence to time served.

David Anthony Hunt was an Australian judge who served on the Supreme Court of New South Wales, where he was the Chief Judge at Common Law, and the Judicial Commission of New South Wales. Subsequent to his retirement in 1998, Justice Hunt joined the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. Gabrielle Louise McIntyre served as his legal adviser at the ICTY.

Mark Samuel Weinberg is a former judge of the Court of Appeal of the Supreme Court of Victoria from July 2008 to May 2018. He is a former judge of the Federal Court of Australia who served from July 1998 to July 2008.

Geoffrey Arthur Akeroyd Nettle is a former Justice of the High Court of Australia, the highest court in the Australian court hierarchy, who served from 3 February 2015 to 30 November 2020. Prior to his appointment to the High Court, he served as a judge at the Court of Appeal, Supreme Court of Victoria, where he presided from June 2004 to 2015.

The Honourable Stephen Pendrill Charles is a retired Australian judge who served on the Supreme Court of Victoria Court of Appeal between 1995 and 2006.

Frank Hollis Rivers Vincent is a retired Australian jurist, who was a Court of Appeals justice at the Supreme Court of Victoria from 2001 to 2009.

Arthur William Taylor is a high-profile former prison inmate who served time in Auckland Prison at Paremoremo, Auckland, New Zealand. In 2016 he had spent 38 years in prison and had a total of 152 convictions. As a prison inmate, he achieved a public profile as a "prison lawyer" due to initiating court action on behalf of himself and prisoners' rights. In 2017, he initiated successful legal action on behalf of former prisoner David Tamihere. On 24 January 2019, Taylor's appearance before a parole board resulted in parole being granted, and he was released on 11 February 2019. He had said not long before release that he wanted to gain a law degree and continue his social work.

Arthur Phillip Freeman is an Australian man charged, tried and convicted of murdering his daughter, Darcey Iris Freeman, aged 4, on 29 January 2009 by deliberately throwing her off the side of the West Gate Bridge in Melbourne, Victoria.

References

  1. ↑ "Coghlan appointed to Victoria's Court of Appeal" . Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  2. ↑ "Farewell - The Honourable Justice Paul Coghlan" . Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  3. ↑ "The Honourable Justice Paul Anthony Coghlan". honours.pmc.gov.au. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
  4. ↑ "Arthur Freeman jailed for a 32-year minimum for Darcey Freeman murder" . Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  5. ↑ "Families share their grief after Eastern Freeway truck driver Mohinder Singh sentenced to 22 years in jail" . Retrieved 9 May 2021.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.