Welcome back to the Wigs for a brand new year! We have been on an extended summer break and hope you have enjoyed a great break too. In this episode,
recorded at the end of last year, The Wigs examine a recent decision of NSW District Court Judge Newlinds in R v Martinez. The judgment has already been the subject of much media attention and concerns a successful costs application made by Martinez following their acquittal on four charges of sexual assault. The judge, in awarding a costs certificate to the accused, made scathing criticisms of the Director of Public Prosecutions and raised concerns that in sexual offence matters the DPP is applying a surreptitious and improper policy under which sexual offences are prosecuted without proper regard to the strength of the Crown case. The DPP responded furiously to the judgment publicly stating a Judicial Commission complaint would be made against Judge Newlinds. The case raises unusual factual matters and interesting legal and policy matters. Now,