‘Lawyer X’ drama for Foxtel

The case of ‘Lawyer X’ is set to become an 8 part drama for Foxtel.

‘Lawyer X ‘- also known as informer 3838 – acted as a Victorian Police informant from 1995 until 2009, calling into question potentially hundreds of criminal convictions. Her name is due to be revealed on Friday.

Such is the scale of the scandal that News Corp, Foxtel, SKY News and Harper Collins are joining forces for print and screen content, based on the expose by Herald Sun journalists Anthony Dowsley and Patrick Carlyon.

While Foxtel has confirmed an 8 part drama, with a documentary for SKY News, a book or Harper Collins and crime articles for the Herald Sun.

“It’s a story that’s got it all. Cops, crims, corruption. It takes what we saw on Underbelly to a complete new level. Her story in particular will be explosive,” Executive Director of Television Brian Walsh told TV Tonight.

“It was an exhaustive expose of how the police in Victoria recruited a lawyer to dob on her clients during the Melbourne gangland war. All these years it’s been covered up but these two journalists have been front and centre of the story, following the exploits between Lawyer X and the Victorian Police.

“Victoria Police have had a suppression order in place which will be lifted. She will be named this week and that will be the start of a Royal Commission which is expected to run for 6 months.

“There’s a lot of speculation as to what that will mean, with some people suggesting some of the most hardened prisoners in Victoria will be released from prison on the basis that the evidence submitted was corrupt because of the double dealing.

“There is also a suggestion that members of the Victorian Police force could be facing criminal charges. So it’s a very explosive story.”

Foxtel is currently discussing the project with both local and international production companies. Both Anthony Dowsley and Patrick Carlyon will act as story consultants.

“We believe it’s a story that will travel and it’s the sort of story that requires the investment level of international players,” Walsh explained.

“I think it will be a significant and substantial series for television and I’m very confident we will be attracting some very big international names both on and behind the camera.”