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An alleged conwoman has fronted court accused of deceptive conduct, with the judge banning her from stalking or attempting to locate a “protected person”.
Samantha Azzopardi, 35, faced Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday via video link from custody at Dame Phyllis Frost Centre women’s prison. She wore a surgical facemask and blue tracksuit, and looked down throughout the brief hearing.
Samantha Azzopardi.
The court heard she is facing 14 charges relating to alleged crimes committed between September 4 and 9 this year, with fresh charges laid in recent days. They include obtaining financial advantage by deception.
Defence lawyer Rose George said Azzopardi originally intended to apply for bail but recently withdrew the application.
Rose asked the matter be adjourned until December. “It’s quite a lengthy summary that requires a summary case conference,” she said.
Magistrate Cathy Lamble also granted an application for an interim intervention order that would prohibit Azzopardi from contacting a protected person and to eliminate the risk of “further alleged incidents”.
“The narrative raises a concern of the affected person being contacted by a lawyer on behalf of Ms Azzopardi in circumstances where she’s in hospital,” Lamble said.
Lamble said the conditions of the interim intervention order included prohibiting Azzopardi from stalking, attempting to locate or put the protected person under surveillance.
The order would also prohibit Azzopardi from coming within five metres of the person or within 200 metres of their address or workplace. “No exceptions,” Lamble said.
Last week it was revealed that Azzopardi had been arrested on High Street in Northcote on October 10 following allegations of deceptive conduct in Dandenong, Brighton and Reservoir.
Azzopardi was remanded in custody to reappear in court in December.
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