Lawyer accused of leaking information about sexual assault victims

A lawyer with alleged links to an organized crime group has been accused of illegally passing on information about a sexual assault complainant.

The 31-year-old man was arrested at Granville police station in western Sydney on Tuesday and charged with publishing the details of a complainant for a prescribed sexual offence.

Investigators believe the man is a close associate of a high-profile organized crime family from the southwest of the city.

The lawyer is accused of passing sensitive case information to an unrelated third party while representing a 24-year-old man accused of sexual assault.

This information reportedly included the name of the complainant in the case.

Under NSW law, it is illegal to release information that identifies complainants of prescribed sex offenses unless permitted by a court or the alleged victim.

The lawyer was granted bail and will appear in Parramatta Magistrates Court on June 11.

1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)

National Sexual Abuse Support and Redressal Service 1800 211 028