It was reintroduced in April, explicitly to target bikie and organized crime gangs following a series of shootings in Sydney this year.
Despite criticism from the state’s two main legal bodies, senior detectives have said the new powers will now be used to target other individuals, including repeat offenders. This opens the way to slam anyone…for communicating with the lowest of criminals.
Under the NSW Crimes Act, police can charge people for communicating with two or more convicted criminals, whether in person or by phone, email or via Facebook. Police do not have to prove this communication was related to a criminal act to make an arrest.
Indeed, someone has already been convicted under this law:
Inverell man Charlie Foster, 21, who was born with an intellectual disability and cannot read or write, was sentenced to between nine and 12 months’ jail a fortnight ago for a series of shopping trips and walks with three friends who have prior convictions.
“The legislation… highlights the concerns of the community in relation to the problems, not just involving individuals of bikie organisations, but of individuals that have a criminal propensity,” Mr Holmes said.