Andrew Sprague

Profile

Andrew is an experienced advocate and criminal law practitioner, who welcomes briefs in criminal and quasi-criminal matters, as well as regulatory and enforcement proceedings, inquests and inquiries.

Andrew appears frequently in the Magistrates’, County and Supreme Courts of Victoria, including in plea hearings, contested committal hearings, bail applications and appeals. He has also appeared (led) at trial in the Supreme Court and County Court, and in the Court of Appeal on conviction and sentence appeals, and interlocutory appeals. (See recent cases below.)

Andrew’s experience covers a broad range of Federal and State crime, with particular expertise in complex matters including organised crime, white-collar crime, terrorism and other national security cases, and related issues such as sensitive and foreign evidence.

Prior to coming to the Bar, Andrew was a Principal Solicitor Advocate for the Office of Public Prosecutions Victoria for two years, and a Principal Federal Prosecutor with the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions where he worked in a number of roles including Complex Litigator, Prosecution Team Leader, and Acting Assistant Director.

Recent cases include:

Court of Appeal:

• DPP (Cth) v Knopp (a pseudonym) & Anor [2023] VSCA 315 (Interlocutory appeal – Dismissal of conspiracy charge. Led by OP Holdenson KC, with S Ginsbourg.) 
• Kannan and Kannan v The King [2023] VSCA 58 (Conviction and sentence appeals – Slavery offences. Led by P Doyle SC.)
• Abbas v The Queen [2022] VSCA 39 (Conviction appeal – Conspiracy to do acts in preparation for a terrorist act. Led by P Doyle SC.)
• Boucher v The Queen [2022] VSCA 3 (Conviction and sentence appeal – online child exploitation. With K Breckweg.)

Supreme Court – Criminal Division:

• DPP v Abdelkhalek [2024] VSC 111 (DPP appeal - bail)
• Re Molla [2023] VSC 729 (DPP appeal - bail)
• DPP v Malovski [2023] VSC 748 (Trial and sentence - Attempted murder. With D Glynn.)
• Re Moody [2023] VSC 662 (Bail - Importing CQ border controlled drugs.)
• DPP v Pedlar [2023] VSC 250 (Plea - Affray. With C Parkes.)
• Re Smith [2021] VSC 485 (Bail - causing an explosion likely to endanger life.)

Andrew read with Patrick Doyle SC, and his senior mentor is Ben Ihle KC.