Fascist police dog Lawyer Zarah Garde-Wilson
Exclusive television interview with underworld lawyer Zarah Garde-Wilson
Tonight in an exclusive television interview, the young lawyer who has narrowly avoided gaol time speaks to Stateline. Zarah Garde-Wilson is the gangland solicitor of choice who was convicted of contempt of court after she refused to give evidence in a murder trial. She has told Stateline about her grief for her murdered partner, her fears of being targeted by his killers and her attempts to enter witness protection. She also accuses Victoria Police of mounting a campaign to destroy her. Shortly, we will speak to Assistant Commissioner for Crime Simon Overland, but first, this report from Josie Taylor.
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON, SOLICITOR: I believe it's a malicious witch hunt against me purely because of the people I represent. The Victoria Police, they made it perfectly clear to me shortly after Lewis's death that they don't approve of me acting for various persons and it would be in my best interests not to act for various persons. And obviously subsequent to acting for such people, this onslaught has occurred.
JOSIE TAYLOR, REPORTER: It's an onslaught Zarah Garde-Wilson says has been unrelenting for the past 18 months.
IAN HENDERSON, PRESENTER, ABC NEWS: A Melbourne solicitor found guilty of contempt of court has escaped a gaol term.
JOSIE TAYLOR: To understand what this brought this lawyer to the brink of losing her career and the prospect of time in gaol, you have to wind back the clock five years to when Zarah Garde-Wilson moved to Melbourne and met the man she describes as her soul mate.
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: From then on we were inseparable.
JOSIE TAYLOR: What kind of a man was he?
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: Most incredible man to ever walk this earth.
JOSIE TAYLOR: He obviously was a man of integrity to your mind.
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: Enormous integrity.
JOSIE TAYLOR: Lewis Caine is pictured here under police surveillance meeting with Carl and Roberta Williams last year. He'd previously met Zarah
Garde-Wilson as a client of the law firm she worked for.
VOICEOVER: Convicted murderer and underworld figure, Lewis Caine, was shot in the head at close range in May last year.
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: I understand it was very quick and he wasn't aware it was coming so to speak so it was instantaneous; much better than any other forms of dying so insofar as his death itself is concerned, I'm happy it was so quick.
JOSIE TAYLOR: Do you feel any anger towards the people that metered it out, though?
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: Not really. I believe in karma. What goes around, comes around.
JOSIE TAYLOR: After Caine's murder, Zarah Garde-Wilson poured her energy into establishing her own legal practice named in her dead partner's memory. Within months she was representing some of Melbourne's biggest names, amongst them, Tony Mokbel, Victor Brincat, Carl, George and Roberta Williams. Zarah
Garde-Wilson says that's when police efforts to destroy her began in earnest.
VOICEOVER: The 27-year old solicitor was arrested and charged over deception and gun offences. It can now be revealed Zarah Garde-Wilson has been ...
JOSIE TAYLOR: Two months ago, shortly before the murder trial of Keith Faure and Evangelos Goussis began, the prosecution notified Zarah Garde-Wilson of their intention to call her as a witness. The 27 -year old says that surprise decision showed a complete disregard for her personal safety. What exactly were you frightened of?
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: The accused who have now been convicted of killing Lewis and their connections.
JOSIE TAYLOR: And what did you believe they were capable of?
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: They're contract killers, they're capable of anything.
JOSIE TAYLOR: The solicitor then took the drastic step of applying to enter the witness protection program. That application was rejected. The court heard police believed her close underworld associations posed a far greater threat than the gaoled killers of her boyfriend.
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: I was more appalled by the reaction of the Chief Commissioner when their response to the court in refusing me witness protection was, "We're pleased to announce witness protection has been refused". That's the catalyst for everything that happened thereafter.
JOSIE TAYLOR: Acting under legal advice, Zarah Garde-Wilson entered the witness box and refused to answer questions. Shaking and weeping the solicitor said she feared for her safety. She was subsequently charged with contempt of court.
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: I was acting under what I believed were my legal rights not only as a citizen but also as a lawyer and I am bound by what the court says.
JOSIE TAYLOR: One detective told Stateline the idea of Zarah Garde-Wilson living in fear is ludicrous as she has joined the biggest gang in the criminal playground. You've been accused of being attracted to that, sort of being sucked in by the glamour.
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: I'd like to know what the attraction is. If the current position I'm in is attractive, they really should be thinking again. If the criminal lifestyle involves waking up at 6 o'clock, having breakfast, driving to work, working through to 8 o'clock, having dinner, going to bed, then so be it.
JOSIE TAYLOR: A week after she was charged, a detective gave evidence before a Supreme Court judge that Zarah Garde-Wilson was dangerously close to her underworld clients to the point of having a sexual relationship with alleged crime boss Tony Mokbel. Is there any truth to those allegations?
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: It's a malicious witch hunt, that's all it is.
JOSIE TAYLOR: Are you friends with your clients?
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: It's hard not to be friends with your clients.
JOSIE TAYLOR: How do you represent them and be their friend?
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: I don't see why it causes an issue. For example, if I were married there would be no prohibition on me representing my husband. I can't see what the limitation is. You are prohibited from representing a friend; it doesn't make sense.
JOSIE TAYLOR: Would you consider, say Tony Mokbel your friend?
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: I consider him a friend.
JOSIE TAYLOR: Roberta Williams, Carl Williams.
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: I'd consider them friends. I'd consider most of my clients friends.
JOSIE TAYLOR: Regardless of what they are accused of or what you heard. As you say, phone taps, some unpleasant conversations.
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: Every individual is different. People make mistakes. I judge people on their individual character.
JOSIE TAYLOR: This week Justice David Harper convicted the solicitor of contempt of court but decided against gaoling her. He was critical of the prosecution for originally giving Garde-Wilson the impression she would not be called to give evidence and later cancelling a meeting to discuss what that evidence would be. He said a solution could have been reached that avoided her being in contempt of court. The Director of Public Prosecutions declined Stateline's request for an interview but it's understood an appeal against the judge's decision has been considered. The Law Institute is still deciding whether it will suspend Zarah Garde-Wilson's practicing certificate. How much does it mean, this practice to you?
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: I work 24 -7. It's - anyone who knows me know I live and breathe my work. You get no greater satisfaction in life than being able to help others in ways that they can't help themselves.
JOSIE TAYLOR: What about those who are I suppose your enemies, your critics, who have said you step over that line between personal and professional? What would you say to that?
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: I strongly disagree. I've never crossed the line to unethical behaviour and never would.
JOSIE TAYLOR: What about - I mean, the critics who say that you've joined an underworld tribe, that you've joined allegiances with some of Melbourne's underworld?
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: Those critics would be Victoria Police and I really don't think you can take their opinions as objective.
JOSIE TAYLOR: The solicitor says much of the criticism levelled at her and her clients is a result of the police fight to solve gangland crime turning intensely personal.
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: I'm appalled by the conduct of Victoria Police in relation to the gangland matters. There's many levels of corruption. There's corruption on its face, where you are alleging that police officers are themselves committing criminal activities, and I believe the worst sort of corruption is the manipulation of evidence and I believe that is prolific.
JOSIE TAYLOR: In a pre-sentence hearing, Zarah Garde-Wilson was described as a psychologist as being in a fragile mental state, still grieving for her murdered partner. Have you copped everything that the world can throw at Zarah Garde-Wilson?
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: I'm sure there's plenty more to come. If history is anything to go by, plenty more to come.
SS Oberlander
SIMON OVERLAND, ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF CRIME: I think the point to be made about the comments that Ms Garde-Wilson is making is that firstly they are self -serving. Her criticisms are also not properly based. They're based on misconceptions which I suspect she well understands. For instance, she's suggesting that we've arranged circumstances for her to be called to give evidence in the recent trial. That's simply not true. The decision to call her was made by the prosecution. That is something she would know. She was a compellable witness in that matter at all times. She knew she was a compellable witness. Being a lawyer who works in the criminal area, she would also know that decisions about whether witnesses are called or not are often made quite close to the date of trial, and she would also know that that decision was made by the prosecution, not by the police.
JOSIE TAYLOR, REPORTER: Why wasn't she accepted into the witness protection program?
SIMON OVERLAND: We have a longstanding practice of not commenting on witness protection issues and there's actually some legal constraints that prevent me from saying much about that. What I will say however is that she was dealt with on the same basis as any other person applying for witness protection would have been dealt with.
JOSIE TAYLOR: Has the Purana task force as Zarah Garde-Wilson claims purposely set out to destroy her ability to practise law and represent certain clients?
SIMON OVERLAND: No, the Purana task force hasn't done that. Those claims are ridiculous. Purana task force has targeted criminals and their assets. The targeting has been on the basis of intelligence and other information. We do not target solicitors, we do not target lawyers unless there is something to suggest that they themselves are complicit in criminal offences.
JOSIE TAYLOR: Has she in fact been complicit in criminal offences?
SIMON OVERLAND: Well, she's now been convicted of contempt of court. It's on the public record that she is facing other criminal charges that will proceed in the next week or so. She's seeking to blame us for errors of her own.
JOSIE TAYLOR: Has she acted in any other unethical ways? Has she crossed the line as a lawyer?
SIMON OVERLAND: I can't answer that question at this time. Suffice to say, not all the facts are in the public domain in relation to a wide range of circumstances that touch on the Purana task force and the investigation. As you know, a number of those matters are currently before the courts so there's real constraints in terms of what I can say, but given time, more facts will emerge and perhaps when that has happened we will be in a position to respond more fully to that sort of question.
JOSIE TAYLOR: In your opinion though, is she a fit and proper person to practise criminal law?
SIMON OVERLAND: Well, I mean, my opinion is not relevant to that question. It's really a matter for the Law Society to come to a view as to whether she is a fit and proper person to practise law. The point is she's been convicted of contempt, she's facing other criminal charges and they're yet to be determined so we'll have to wait and see what happens with those and obviously we understand the Law Society will be looking at that question and will watch with interest to see what they do.
JOSIE TAYLOR: She's accused the Purana task force of overly personalising their investigations into some of her high profile clients and obviously also she says into herself; is there any truth to that?
SIMON OVERLAND: No, there's not. There's no truth in that at all. It's a ridiculous claim to have been made. We work on the basis of intelligence and evidence and other information to properly ground an investigation. We operate within the law at all times. We have done so throughout the Purana task force. We will continue to do so. We don't target lawyers because they happen to represent particular people or accused people. We target criminals and we target their assets. If a lawyer crosses the line and commits a criminal offence, well, yes, of course they are targeted but they are targeted not because they're a lawyer, they're targeted because they have committed a. criminal offence.
JOSIE TAYLOR: Simon Overland, thanks for talking to Stateline.
SIMON OVERLAND: Thank you.
KATHY BOWLEN, PRESENTER: Josie Taylor with that exclusive television report.
Tonight in an exclusive television interview, the young lawyer who has narrowly avoided gaol time speaks to Stateline. Zarah Garde-Wilson is the gangland solicitor of choice who was convicted of contempt of court after she refused to give evidence in a murder trial. She has told Stateline about her grief for her murdered partner, her fears of being targeted by his killers and her attempts to enter witness protection. She also accuses Victoria Police of mounting a campaign to destroy her. Shortly, we will speak to Assistant Commissioner for Crime Simon Overland, but first, this report from Josie Taylor.
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON, SOLICITOR: I believe it's a malicious witch hunt against me purely because of the people I represent. The Victoria Police, they made it perfectly clear to me shortly after Lewis's death that they don't approve of me acting for various persons and it would be in my best interests not to act for various persons. And obviously subsequent to acting for such people, this onslaught has occurred.
JOSIE TAYLOR, REPORTER: It's an onslaught Zarah Garde-Wilson says has been unrelenting for the past 18 months.
IAN HENDERSON, PRESENTER, ABC NEWS: A Melbourne solicitor found guilty of contempt of court has escaped a gaol term.
JOSIE TAYLOR: To understand what this brought this lawyer to the brink of losing her career and the prospect of time in gaol, you have to wind back the clock five years to when Zarah Garde-Wilson moved to Melbourne and met the man she describes as her soul mate.
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: From then on we were inseparable.
JOSIE TAYLOR: What kind of a man was he?
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: Most incredible man to ever walk this earth.
JOSIE TAYLOR: He obviously was a man of integrity to your mind.
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: Enormous integrity.
JOSIE TAYLOR: Lewis Caine is pictured here under police surveillance meeting with Carl and Roberta Williams last year. He'd previously met Zarah
Garde-Wilson as a client of the law firm she worked for.
VOICEOVER: Convicted murderer and underworld figure, Lewis Caine, was shot in the head at close range in May last year.
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: I understand it was very quick and he wasn't aware it was coming so to speak so it was instantaneous; much better than any other forms of dying so insofar as his death itself is concerned, I'm happy it was so quick.
JOSIE TAYLOR: Do you feel any anger towards the people that metered it out, though?
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: Not really. I believe in karma. What goes around, comes around.
JOSIE TAYLOR: After Caine's murder, Zarah Garde-Wilson poured her energy into establishing her own legal practice named in her dead partner's memory. Within months she was representing some of Melbourne's biggest names, amongst them, Tony Mokbel, Victor Brincat, Carl, George and Roberta Williams. Zarah
Garde-Wilson says that's when police efforts to destroy her began in earnest.
VOICEOVER: The 27-year old solicitor was arrested and charged over deception and gun offences. It can now be revealed Zarah Garde-Wilson has been ...
JOSIE TAYLOR: Two months ago, shortly before the murder trial of Keith Faure and Evangelos Goussis began, the prosecution notified Zarah Garde-Wilson of their intention to call her as a witness. The 27 -year old says that surprise decision showed a complete disregard for her personal safety. What exactly were you frightened of?
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: The accused who have now been convicted of killing Lewis and their connections.
JOSIE TAYLOR: And what did you believe they were capable of?
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: They're contract killers, they're capable of anything.
JOSIE TAYLOR: The solicitor then took the drastic step of applying to enter the witness protection program. That application was rejected. The court heard police believed her close underworld associations posed a far greater threat than the gaoled killers of her boyfriend.
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: I was more appalled by the reaction of the Chief Commissioner when their response to the court in refusing me witness protection was, "We're pleased to announce witness protection has been refused". That's the catalyst for everything that happened thereafter.
JOSIE TAYLOR: Acting under legal advice, Zarah Garde-Wilson entered the witness box and refused to answer questions. Shaking and weeping the solicitor said she feared for her safety. She was subsequently charged with contempt of court.
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: I was acting under what I believed were my legal rights not only as a citizen but also as a lawyer and I am bound by what the court says.
JOSIE TAYLOR: One detective told Stateline the idea of Zarah Garde-Wilson living in fear is ludicrous as she has joined the biggest gang in the criminal playground. You've been accused of being attracted to that, sort of being sucked in by the glamour.
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: I'd like to know what the attraction is. If the current position I'm in is attractive, they really should be thinking again. If the criminal lifestyle involves waking up at 6 o'clock, having breakfast, driving to work, working through to 8 o'clock, having dinner, going to bed, then so be it.
JOSIE TAYLOR: A week after she was charged, a detective gave evidence before a Supreme Court judge that Zarah Garde-Wilson was dangerously close to her underworld clients to the point of having a sexual relationship with alleged crime boss Tony Mokbel. Is there any truth to those allegations?
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: It's a malicious witch hunt, that's all it is.
JOSIE TAYLOR: Are you friends with your clients?
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: It's hard not to be friends with your clients.
JOSIE TAYLOR: How do you represent them and be their friend?
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: I don't see why it causes an issue. For example, if I were married there would be no prohibition on me representing my husband. I can't see what the limitation is. You are prohibited from representing a friend; it doesn't make sense.
JOSIE TAYLOR: Would you consider, say Tony Mokbel your friend?
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: I consider him a friend.
JOSIE TAYLOR: Roberta Williams, Carl Williams.
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: I'd consider them friends. I'd consider most of my clients friends.
JOSIE TAYLOR: Regardless of what they are accused of or what you heard. As you say, phone taps, some unpleasant conversations.
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: Every individual is different. People make mistakes. I judge people on their individual character.
JOSIE TAYLOR: This week Justice David Harper convicted the solicitor of contempt of court but decided against gaoling her. He was critical of the prosecution for originally giving Garde-Wilson the impression she would not be called to give evidence and later cancelling a meeting to discuss what that evidence would be. He said a solution could have been reached that avoided her being in contempt of court. The Director of Public Prosecutions declined Stateline's request for an interview but it's understood an appeal against the judge's decision has been considered. The Law Institute is still deciding whether it will suspend Zarah Garde-Wilson's practicing certificate. How much does it mean, this practice to you?
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: I work 24 -7. It's - anyone who knows me know I live and breathe my work. You get no greater satisfaction in life than being able to help others in ways that they can't help themselves.
JOSIE TAYLOR: What about those who are I suppose your enemies, your critics, who have said you step over that line between personal and professional? What would you say to that?
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: I strongly disagree. I've never crossed the line to unethical behaviour and never would.
JOSIE TAYLOR: What about - I mean, the critics who say that you've joined an underworld tribe, that you've joined allegiances with some of Melbourne's underworld?
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: Those critics would be Victoria Police and I really don't think you can take their opinions as objective.
JOSIE TAYLOR: The solicitor says much of the criticism levelled at her and her clients is a result of the police fight to solve gangland crime turning intensely personal.
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: I'm appalled by the conduct of Victoria Police in relation to the gangland matters. There's many levels of corruption. There's corruption on its face, where you are alleging that police officers are themselves committing criminal activities, and I believe the worst sort of corruption is the manipulation of evidence and I believe that is prolific.
JOSIE TAYLOR: In a pre-sentence hearing, Zarah Garde-Wilson was described as a psychologist as being in a fragile mental state, still grieving for her murdered partner. Have you copped everything that the world can throw at Zarah Garde-Wilson?
ZARAH GARDE-WILSON: I'm sure there's plenty more to come. If history is anything to go by, plenty more to come.
SS Oberlander
SIMON OVERLAND, ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF CRIME: I think the point to be made about the comments that Ms Garde-Wilson is making is that firstly they are self -serving. Her criticisms are also not properly based. They're based on misconceptions which I suspect she well understands. For instance, she's suggesting that we've arranged circumstances for her to be called to give evidence in the recent trial. That's simply not true. The decision to call her was made by the prosecution. That is something she would know. She was a compellable witness in that matter at all times. She knew she was a compellable witness. Being a lawyer who works in the criminal area, she would also know that decisions about whether witnesses are called or not are often made quite close to the date of trial, and she would also know that that decision was made by the prosecution, not by the police.
JOSIE TAYLOR, REPORTER: Why wasn't she accepted into the witness protection program?
SIMON OVERLAND: We have a longstanding practice of not commenting on witness protection issues and there's actually some legal constraints that prevent me from saying much about that. What I will say however is that she was dealt with on the same basis as any other person applying for witness protection would have been dealt with.
JOSIE TAYLOR: Has the Purana task force as Zarah Garde-Wilson claims purposely set out to destroy her ability to practise law and represent certain clients?
SIMON OVERLAND: No, the Purana task force hasn't done that. Those claims are ridiculous. Purana task force has targeted criminals and their assets. The targeting has been on the basis of intelligence and other information. We do not target solicitors, we do not target lawyers unless there is something to suggest that they themselves are complicit in criminal offences.
JOSIE TAYLOR: Has she in fact been complicit in criminal offences?
SIMON OVERLAND: Well, she's now been convicted of contempt of court. It's on the public record that she is facing other criminal charges that will proceed in the next week or so. She's seeking to blame us for errors of her own.
JOSIE TAYLOR: Has she acted in any other unethical ways? Has she crossed the line as a lawyer?
SIMON OVERLAND: I can't answer that question at this time. Suffice to say, not all the facts are in the public domain in relation to a wide range of circumstances that touch on the Purana task force and the investigation. As you know, a number of those matters are currently before the courts so there's real constraints in terms of what I can say, but given time, more facts will emerge and perhaps when that has happened we will be in a position to respond more fully to that sort of question.
JOSIE TAYLOR: In your opinion though, is she a fit and proper person to practise criminal law?
SIMON OVERLAND: Well, I mean, my opinion is not relevant to that question. It's really a matter for the Law Society to come to a view as to whether she is a fit and proper person to practise law. The point is she's been convicted of contempt, she's facing other criminal charges and they're yet to be determined so we'll have to wait and see what happens with those and obviously we understand the Law Society will be looking at that question and will watch with interest to see what they do.
JOSIE TAYLOR: She's accused the Purana task force of overly personalising their investigations into some of her high profile clients and obviously also she says into herself; is there any truth to that?
SIMON OVERLAND: No, there's not. There's no truth in that at all. It's a ridiculous claim to have been made. We work on the basis of intelligence and evidence and other information to properly ground an investigation. We operate within the law at all times. We have done so throughout the Purana task force. We will continue to do so. We don't target lawyers because they happen to represent particular people or accused people. We target criminals and we target their assets. If a lawyer crosses the line and commits a criminal offence, well, yes, of course they are targeted but they are targeted not because they're a lawyer, they're targeted because they have committed a. criminal offence.
JOSIE TAYLOR: Simon Overland, thanks for talking to Stateline.
SIMON OVERLAND: Thank you.
KATHY BOWLEN, PRESENTER: Josie Taylor with that exclusive television report.
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