Lawyer X hearings start today

THE explosive royal commission into Victoria Police’s handling of informants will begin today with former commissioners and current force boss Graham Ashton likely to find themselves in the witness box for their handling of the Lawyer X scandal.

Commissioner Margaret McMurdo and counsel assisting are expected to make opening statements today, signalling the start of the public hearings.

The royal commission was called at the end of last year after News Corp uncovered the unprecedented legal scandal back in 2014.

But a court order still prevents Justice McMurdo — the former Queensland Court of Appeal president — from revealing the identity of Lawyer X, the criminal barrister at the heart of the commission’s investigation.

Lawyer X is expected to be available to give evidence to the commission if called upon.

Gangland boss Tony Mokbel, who was the victim of a prison stabbing this week, could make a submission claiming he was impacted by Lawyer X’s dual role as defence barrister and police informer.

More than 20 prisoners — including Mokbel’s drug ring underlings and mafia figures convicted in the world’s biggest ecstasy bust — have been informed their convictions could be tainted due to her informing to police.

Mr Ashton, during his time as assistant director of the defunct Office of Police Integrity, sat on two police investigation steering committees using information from Lawyer X.

During a regular interview on ABC Radio yesterday, Mr Ashton said police were happy for the matter to be probed in public.

He said there was “alleged malpractice” and that “there were two sides to all these things”.

“I think the royal commission has to run its course and hear all the evidence around these issues,” he said.