Philip OPAS QC interview 4/8/2003

Some of the clients you’ve acted for were somewhat odd – tell us about the prostitute you successfully acted for who offered you her services free of charge.

Ah yes, she was a remarkable woman. Very big and statuesque. She came into court wearing a big wide-brimmed hat and in those days, the Ritz Hotel in St Kilda opposite the Methodist Church in Fitzroy Street was the corner where prostitutes picked up their clients, drove them in a taxi around Albert Park Lake and the deed was done in the backseat.

The corner outside the Methodist Church was known as Chastity Corner. This lady in question was charged with having a knee-trembler against a tree in the park, and it was her defence that the event had not commenced before she was intercepted by a policeman, who happened to be named Harry Hoare.

He intercepted this lady and her companion while they were in flagrante delicto in the park. Her case before the judge - and this was on appeal after she’d been convicted and sentenced to three months in the court of petty sessions – her case was ‘well, your Honour, we went to the park to have intercourse, but it had not commenced before the police got to us.

The police couldn’t see a thing – I’d had a specially made skirt which divided in front, so the back wasn’t lifted so that gigs couldn’t see anymore than we wanted them to see. Nothing had started.’

The judge asked ‘How long had you been there before the policeman intercepted you?’ ‘Oh,’ she said ‘about five minutes, your Honour.’ ‘Isn’t it your experience that it’s all over in five minutes?’ ‘Oh,’ she said, ‘standing up against a tree in the park, your Honour – there are certain preliminaries.’ The judge had to hide his laughter, and said ‘Well you haven’t insulted my intelligence – you haven’t told me you’d gone there to pick daisies. You’ve raised a doubt in my mind, I must give you the benefit of that doubt.

The appeal is upheld and you’re acquitted.’ When we got out, she waved a wad of money at me, which I resisted, so she said ‘Luv, you know where I live, so anytime you want it, it’s on the house.’ I don’t expect anyone to believe me, but I didn’t take advantage of it.

Conducted for the Bar Oral History project by Juliette Brodsky in the Neil McPhee Room, Owen Dixon Chambers and filmed by Stewart Carter (People Pictures)