The Office of Public Prosecutions is delighted to announce the appointment of three new Crown Prosecutors. On Wednesday 11 March 2026, the Director of Public Prosecutions Brendan Kissane KC, Solicitor for Public Prosecutions Abbey Hogan and Acting Chief Crown Prosecutor Mark Gibson KC welcomed the appointments of Jonathan Manning, Fiona...
Statement on Mokbel retrial decision
On 3 October 2025, the Court of Appeal quashed the conviction of Antonios Mokbel on a charge of incitement to import a prohibited import in 2005. The investigation into this matter was known as ‘Operation Orbital’. The Director of Public Prosecutions has determined not to conduct a retrial of Mr...
Judicial appointment of Diana Piekusis KC
The Office of Public Prosecutions (OPP) warmly congratulates Diana Piekusis KC on her appointment as a Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria, effective 3 February 2026.The appointment marks a fitting conclusion to Ms Piekusis’ service with the OPP, which began in 2009. She will bring more than 26 years...
Kristie Churchill and David Glynn appointed Senior Counsel
On behalf of the Office of Public Prosecutions, Director Brendan Kissane KC, Chief Crown Prosecutor Diana Piekusis KC and Solicitor for Prosecutions Abbey Hogan congratulate Senior Crown Prosecutors Kristie Churchill and David Glynn on their appointments to Senior Counsel.The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria announced the appointments...
Media statement – Victim Consultation
There has been recent reporting in the media suggesting that the Office of Public Prosecutions (OPP) is excluding victims of crime from the justice system. The figures do not support this suggestion. This reporting is based upon the number of victim and witness consultations conducted in 2023/2024 being fewer than...
DPP response to conflict of interest
In relation to recent allegations aired in the media on 26 July 2023, the assertions are factually incorrect. The DPP did not have a conflict of interest as asserted. The DPP has never acted for Simon Overland in any personal capacity and has in fact never met him. Recent media...
OPP Crown Prosecutor Robyn Harper appointed County Court Judge
Victorian Government Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes has appointed Robyn Harper as Judge of the County Court of Victoria. Director of Public Prosecutions Kerri Judd KC congratulated Ms Harper on her appointment and thanked for her service to Chambers where she will be greatly missed. “Robyn has made a tremendous contribution to Crown...
OPP Statement
On 27 February 2023, the County Court of Victoria imposed sentence on Jeffrey Corfe for an offence of sexual penetration of a child under 16 years. The sentence was a term of imprisonment for 12 months, wholly suspended for two years. The Director of Public Prosecutions has carefully considered this...
OPP Statement
The Director has carefully considered the sentence imposed on Steven Cleary. In light of all of the relevant sentencing considerations, there is no reasonable prospect that the Court of Appeal would consider the sentence to be manifestly inadequate. Those sentencing considerations include the application of the Verdins principles, the utilitarian...
OPP Statement
The Herald Sun recently published an article entitled ‘Tradie demanding answers over failed rape trial’ authored by Mark Buttler and Andrew Rule. The article reports the views of the acquitted man, Phoenix Cooper, namely that the OPP failed in our obligations of disclosure to him, and that the case ought...