After one of the most hectic and stressful weeks of my life, it is over: my trial ended up costing me $750, or $150 per charge, with no ‘communinty service’ and the equivalent of a good behaviour bond until approx the end of the year, i.e. no legal restrictions on me leaving the country. it took more work than i expected, including switching lawyers at the last minute (thanks to the two delays in court) but it worked out good-ish, mainly, I think, because I got Helena Popovic as judge, Victoria’s most left-wing magistrate and one who was previously subject to a vilification campaign by the herald-sun, who compared sentencing records to show that she convicted less than anyone else and gave less harsh sentences when she did convict, especially with regard to property and drug offences. Also because she got down of the stand once to give one frequent repeat offender a hug in the middle of court. This didn’t happen to me, but it was clear that the cop prosecutor was nicer than usual to defendants, and that this was from an understanding that to be anything else would not help the cause of the police.

i love you, and have a semi-working phone again,

benjamin