| Informer 3838 | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Crime Drama |
| Directed by |
|
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 2 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Rory Callaghan |
| Producers |
|
| Production location | Melbourne |
| Production company | Screentime |
| Original release | |
| Network | Nine Network |
| Release | 20 April – 27 April 2020 |
Informer 3838 is an Australian television series focusing on criminal barrister-turned police informer Nicola Gobbo (codenamed informer 3838) and her involvement in the Melbourne gangland killings. It is a spin-off of the Underbelly franchise, with various actors reprising their role from previous series. Commissioned by the Nine Network and produced by Screentime, it was broadcast between 20 and 27 April 2020. [1] [2] [3] [4]
The following cast members and characters have been confirmed: [5] [6]
Opening during her days studying law at the University of Melbourne, Nicola Gobbo is arrested by police who raided her house and discovered drugs seemingly belonging to her housemate. Under pressure from police, she agrees to provide evidence against her housemate and avoids conviction as a result. Moving forward a few years, the Melbourne gangland killings were in full flight and Gobbo was building a strong reputation as a criminal lawyer.
Her early clients include Tony Mokbel and Carl Williams as well as their associates. On top of her legal successes, Gobbo parties, socialises and becomes involved with her clients and their friends. Around this time Terence Hodson, a person heavily involved in the drug trade, faces a dilemma when his children are arrested and facing prison. He becomes an informant and develops a relationship with detectives within the drug squad, including Paul Dale and David Miechel. A while later, David Miechel (an off duty drug squad detective) and Terence Hodson rob a drug house in Oakleigh containing large amounts of drugs and cash after it is staked out by Paul Dale. They are arrested while fleeing the scene of the robbery and Hodson subsequently agrees to give evidence against Miechel and Paul Dale, the latter of which is subsequently arrested and jailed. During this time, Gobbo speaks to Dale on several occasions, both during and after his incarceration, though is not engaged fully as his attorney at this time. They hold a somewhat friendly, but mutually cautious relationship with each other.
Shortly after, Terence Hodson's informant file is taken from the police station and distributed throughout the criminal underworld. Gobbo becomes aware of this and warns Hodson as well as speaking to the Ethical Standards department in an attempt to have them provide protection, but they state that Hodson has actively rejected all offers of any form of witness protection. Fearful, though remaining at home, Hodson and his wife are visited by their old friend Rodney Charles Collins, who indicates he is there for a friendly visit and manages to convince Hodson to let him in. Once inside, he forces Terence and his wife into their living room at gun point and executes both of them. The episode concludes with Gobbo at the Hodson's house, providing support for his devastated children.
Reeling from learning about the Hodson's murders and being so devastated that she got so close to them Nicola goes to Reichert and tells her that she can give her and the police Carl Williams as Carl was leading the gangland wars "he was the war", during this time Nicola speaks with Mr L and tries to get him to give up Mokbel and Williams as he refuses to help them, he finally does, but during this time Nicola is asked to turn Informer by Reichert which sets off a chain of events, including Mr L giving evidence to the cops which leads to Carl's arrest and Nicola's stroke.
While recovering Mokbel gives Nicola a client to defend but the client Kipiani is sent to jail which makes Mokbel happy. But as the situation deteriorates even more Nicole meets up with Commissioner Simon Overland who tells Nicola she must meet with Paul Dale to see if he knows anything about the murders.
When Dale denies that he had anything to do with the murders, all blame is placed on Williams' hitman Rodney.
Overland furious that the Hodson murders would be an unsolved Cold Case, he tells his team to instead focus on destroying Mokbel's drug empire.
Later on Carl is killed in prison by an inmate and the Hodson murder case falls apart and Dale is free to go on with his life, the commissioner and the police force comes to terms with Nicola's deal for recompense and agree to it, leaving Berich to tell Reichert if Nicola's informing came out crims would be screaming for release due to tainted evidence.
The episode ends with a show of Carl's death, Mokbel appealing his 30-year sentence, Paul Dale never being charged, the Hodson's murders never being solved and Nicola's whereabouts unknown at the time.
During an amendment made on the DVD version of Informer 3838 Simon Overland made a complaint to Channel 9 over his portrayal in the mini series, the end on the DVD includes the removal of the Hodson Murders, and Overland's information placed saying he had not had any contact with Gobbo during the Gangland War. [7]
| No. | Title | Air date | Timeslot | Overnight ratings | Consolidated ratings | Total viewers | Ref(s) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viewers | Rank | Viewers | Rank | ||||||
| 1 | Part 1 | 20 April 2020 | Monday 8:45pm | 644,000 | 16 | 128,000 | 12 | 772,000 | [8] [9] |
| 2 | Part 2 | 27 April 2020 | Monday 8:45pm | 574,000 | 17 | 188,000 | 12 | 762,000 | [10] [11] |
The Melbourne gangland killings were the murders of 36 underworld figures in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, between January 1998 and August 2010. The murders were retributive killings involving underworld groups. The deaths caused a power vacuum within Melbourne's criminal community, and rival factions fought for control and influence. Many of the murders remain unsolved, although detectives from the Purana Taskforce believe that Carl Williams was responsible for at least ten of them. The period culminated in the arrest of Williams, who pleaded guilty on 28 February 2007 to three of the murders.
HM Prison Barwon or informally Barwon Prison, an Australian high risk and maximum security prison for males, is located 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from the township of Lara, near Geelong, Victoria, Australia. The facility is operated by Corrections Victoria. The prison provides accommodation and services for remand and sentenced prisoners detained under Victorian and Federal legislation.
Graham Allen Kinniburgh was an Australian organised crime figure from Kew, a suburb of Melbourne. He became a victim of the Melbourne gangland killings, which were dramatised in the drama series Underbelly.
Ella Scott Lynch is an Australian actress. Her notable roles include Shirley Ryan in the series Love Child and Melbourne gangland barrister Nicola Gobbo in the Channel Nine mini-series Informer 3838.
Carl Anthony Williams was an Australian convicted murderer and drug trafficker from Melbourne, Victoria. He was a central figure in the Melbourne gangland killings as well as their final victim.
Antonios Sajih Mokbel is an Australian criminal who has been convicted of a number of offences, most prominently commercial drug trafficking. He has spent most of his life in Melbourne, Australia. Operation Purana alleged that he is the mastermind behind the Melbourne amphetamine trade. He has been linked to Carl Williams, and charged but not convicted of two murders in the Melbourne gangland war. He disappeared from Melbourne while on trial in March 2006, and was arrested by Greek police in Athens on 5 June 2007. Since being brought back to Australia he has remained incarcerated.
Zarah Garde-Wilson is an Australian solicitor in Victoria who rose to prominence after she acted for many persons under investigation by Victoria Police in relation to the Melbourne gangland killings of 1998–2006.
The first series of Australian crime television drama series Underbelly originally aired from 13 February 2008 to 7 May 2008 on the Nine Network and is loosely based on the real events of the 1995–2004 gangland war in Melbourne. It depicts the key players in Melbourne's criminal underworld, including the Carlton Crew and their rival, Carl Williams. The series is based on the book Leadbelly: Inside Australia's Underworld, by journalists John Silvester and Andrew Rule, and borrows its name from the successful Underbelly true crime anthology book series also authored by Silvester and Rule. An alternative and significantly updated tie-in novel, Underbelly: The Gangland War, was released as their 13th book in the series. The series is produced by the Australian Film Finance Corporation, in association with Film Victoria. The executive producers are Des Monaghan and Jo Horsburgh.
Gyton James Grantley is an Australian actor and comedian, best known for his portrayal of convicted murderer and drug trafficker Carl Williams in the hit Australian television show Underbelly, for which he was nominated for both Most Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series and Most Popular Actor for the 2009 TV Week Logie Awards and the 2008 AFI award. Grantley won the 2009 Logie Award for Most Outstanding Actor.
Simon James Overland is the former Chief Executive Officer at the City of Whittlesea and a former Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police in Australia. He previously worked with the Australian Federal Police and then with Victoria Police focusing on Melbourne's gangland wars. On 2 March 2009 he was named by the Premier, John Brumby, as Victoria Police Chief Commissioner. He resigned from this position on 16 June 2011 after intense public pressure from critics who questioned his performance. In July 2011, he was appointed the chair of the Board of Management of the Tasmania University Union and was responsible for overseeing the direction of the student union.
Underbelly is an Australian television true crime-drama series which first aired on the Nine Network between 13 February 2008 and 1 September 2013, before being revived on 3 April 2022. Each series is based on real-life events. There have been six full series, with season 7 being a miniseries. A 2014 series titled Fat Tony & Co is a sequel to the first series but is not branded under the Underbelly title.
Nicola Maree Gobbo, sometimes known as Nikki Gobbo, is an Australian former criminal defence barrister and police informant.
In 2004 the murders of Terence and Christine Hodson caused the Victorian government to establish the Office of Police Integrity to investigate probable Victoria Police involvement in the murders and to investigate the leaking of sensitive police information to the Melbourne underworld.
Fat Tony & Co. is a nine-episode Australian television series focusing on Tony Mokbel and covers the manhunt which lasted 18 months and dismantled a drug empire. It premiered on 23 February 2014 and concluded on 6 April 2014 on the Nine Network. It is technically a part of the Underbelly franchise, with various actors reprising their role from previous series.
Robert Mammone is an Australian actor. He is known for his role as AK in The Matrix movies, as Sid Walker in the soap opera Home and Away, and as Tim Palmer in Sons and Daughters.
AB v CD; EF v CD is a decision of the High Court of Australia.
Jacqueline Brennan is an Australian stage, television and film actress with a career that has spanned over 30 years. Brennan has appeared in television, film, theatre and voice-over roles. Jacquie Brennan is known for her roles in Bullpitt!, The Hollowmen, and her most known role in Australian award-winning TV Drama Wentworth as Officer Linda 'Smiles' Miles.
Joseph Acquaro also known as Joe Acquaro or Pino was a Melbourne lawyer, businessman and former president of Melbourne's Italian Chamber of Commerce and the Reggio Calabria Club who was shot to death on 15 March 2016 at age 54.
The Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informants - An inquiry into Victoria Police’s use of Nicola Gobbo as a human source, referred to in the press as Lawyer X Royal Commission, was a royal commission in Victoria, Australia set up to examine the actions of Nicola Gobbo and Victoria Police whilst Gobbo, also referred to as Informer 3838, Lawyer X (media), and EF (litigation), was working as a lawyer and acting as a registered informer. It was announced on 3 December 2018, in response to the High Court AB v CD; EF v CD judgement, and was established on 13 December 2018 under Hon Margaret McMurdo to examine the adequacy and effectiveness of the processes of Victoria Police for the recruitment, handling and management of human sources who are subject to legal obligations of confidentiality or privilege and the effect of using such sources on past cases.
The Kellem review was an Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) inquiry undertaken by Murray Kellam from July 2014 to February 2015 into Victoria Police human source management. The review was initiated in response to newspaper reports about the actions of lawyer Nicola Gobbo in providing information to police.
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