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Vic. Police send legal letters over Lawyer X doco

Police warn SKY News against breaching suppression orders over gangland doco.

Victoria Police sent legal letters to both SKY News and News Corp. just hours before a media event for the upcoming documentary Lawyer X: The Untold Story yesterday.

The letters warned both media organisations not to breach suppression orders as they launched a new documentary and book on the controversial story of Melbourne gangland Lawyer turned police informer Nicola Gobbo.

The story broken by Herald Sun journalists Anthony Dowsley (pictured, centre) and Patrick Carlyon (right) is now the subject of a Royal Commission.

Last night both journos joined Peter Stefanovic (left) as the Herald Sun, SKY News and Harper Collins held a joint media event at the Old Melbourne Gaol.

“Victoria Police notwithstanding it is a brilliant piece of broadcast journalism. We got a letter from Victoria Police today,” said SKY News CEO Paul Whittaker.

“I’ve had a few letters from Victoria Police over the years, in my previous incarnation as a newspaper editor…… you can Google it, in 2009…. and all I will say about that is this is an extraordinary story. It’s quite unbelievable how the wheel turns.”

Among the 100 guests were Terry and Christine Hodson’s daughter Mandy Hodson, barristers Zarah Garde-Wilson and Michael Pena-Rees, lawyers Justin Quill, John-Paul Cashen and Ruth Parker and former detective Charlie Bezzina.

Ms Hodson called on the Royal Commission to get to the truth of the murder of her parents, Terence and Christine Hodson.

“Who do you trust? Can you trust anyone? I’ve always said it’s a Pandora’s Box and once that opens, heaven forbid.”

Former detective Bezzina said the documentary would be a prelude for “much bigger stories”.

“Crime fascinates everybody, and this is a continuing and evolving story,” he said.

“At the end of the day it’s about getting to the truth.

“It’s about getting the right person behind bars and making them accountable for their actions.”

Herald Sun editor Damon Johnston said: “A royal commission is underway and Victorians are at last finding out not just how their justice system was corrupted, but who did it.

“At a time when the freedom of the press is being challenged like never before, the story of Lawyer X represents a beacon in the ongoing fight for the public’s right to know.”

In addition to the documentary, Foxtel also plans a miniseries for 2020, but Nine is already in pre-production on its own version with Underbelly producers, Screentime.

Lawyer X: The Untold Story, presented by Peter Stefanovic, screens at 8pm Monday and Tuesday on SKY News.

Photo: David Caird / Herald Sun