Two deputy directors of public prosecutions appointed

Frank Veltro SC and Helen Roberts SC have been appointed Deputy Directors of Public Prosecutions at the state’s independent prosecuting authority.

Attorney General Mark Speakman congratulated Mr Veltro and Ms Roberts on their appointments and wished them well in their ongoing work at the Office of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).

“The ODPP employs more than 900 staff and prosecutes around 18,000 criminal matters a year, on behalf of the people of NSW,” Mr Speakman said.

“The ODPP plays a crucial role in the NSW Government’s commitment to the delivery of timely justice for the people of NSW. This commitment was strengthened in the 2022-23 NSW Budget with $215.1 million allocated to support the operations of the ODPP in the NSW Children’s, Local, District and Supreme Courts. That has more than doubled in the past decade.

“Mr Veltro and Ms Roberts each bring substantial experience in criminal law to the Deputy Director positions. As Deputy Directors they will play an important role in managing the work of our state’s prosecutors.”

Both appointees formally commenced their duties on 27 October 2022.

Biographies

Frank Veltro SC

Frank Veltro SC was admitted to practice as a solicitor in 1984 and was called to the Bar in 1997. He has held the positions of Crown Counsel in Hong Kong and In-house Counsel for the Commonwealth DPP. He became a Crown Prosecutor in 2000 and was appointed as a Deputy Senior Crown Prosecutor in 2019. He was appointed as an Acting Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions on 5 May 2021.

Helen Roberts SC

Helen Roberts SC was appointed a Crown Prosecutor in 2010 and has held the position of Acting Deputy Senior Crown Prosecutor since 2019. She was first appointed as an Acting Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions from March 2020 to August 2020 and was again

appointed to the position on 8 August 2022. She began practice as a solicitor in 1999, has held positions as Deputy Coroner for the Northern Territory and Crown Prosecutor with the NT ODPP, and has extensive experience in appellate and criminal law.