Canberra and ACT Crime Whinge & Whine

11/09/2026

The ACT Coroner's Court has found the overdose death of a 42-year-old woman is the first in Canberra with an established link to a novel psychoactive substance.

The woman's body was found at her home in Ainslie in July 2022 by her housemate who called emergency services.

Post-mortem testing found quantities of a range of drugs in her blood including protonitazene.

Protonitazene is a highly potent synthetic opioid, or New Psychoactive Substance (NPS), and is estimated to be at least 100 times more potent than he**in.

Read more: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-11/canberra-woman-death-drug-overdose-synthetic-opioid/107139786

11/09/2026

A former Australian National University academic successfully appeals against his convictions for the sexual assault of two people in separate incidents in 2016 and 2020.

11/09/2026

09/09/2026

09/09/2026

04/09/2026

A Canberra woman will receive $100,000 plus legal costs after an illegal strip search at the Alexander Maconochie Centre was found to have breached her human rights.

Julianne Williams was being held on remand in 2021 when correctional officers attempted one strip search in her room and carried out another in a toilet. The ACT Supreme Court later found both searches were unlawful, and that the use of force against her was incompatible with her right to humane treatment.

The payout raises a bigger question too: if more than 4,000 strip searches were being carried out in 2020 and 2021, how many other abuses were hidden inside the system?

31/08/2026

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Our services include individual therapy, targeted rehabilitation programs and professional reports documenting engagement, progress and ongoing treatment recommendations.