In-person attendance a must at Bendigo courts after statewide cyber attack

The Bendigo courts' audio-visual link will not be accessible following the cyber security incident targeting Court Services Victoria (CSV).

The courts became aware of the cyber attack on December 21, 2023 but said in a statement that a breach was believed to have initially occurred on December 8 in 2023.

In a statement, CSV chief executive Louise Anderson said recordings of some hearings in courts between November 1 and December 21, 2023, may have been accessed.

Matters relevant to Bendigo which occurred during the relevant timeframe included the plea and sentencing of Peter Vincent White who sexually abused seven children in Woodend across three decades.

While one of the victim-survivors has publicly identified herself, the remaining six people have not been identified.

A coroner's court case looking into the death of a 17-year-old Indigenous girl who passed by suicide while in state care in Bendigo may also be affected.

Her matter is covered by a strict suppression order and she can only be identified as XY.

The matter of a Bendigo uncle who sexually abused his two young nieces may have also been available during those dates.

He cannot be named to protect his young victims who were three and seven at the time of the offending.

In response to the cyber attack, changes have been made to Bendigo's audio-visual link accessibility for the general public meaning in-person attendance is necessary, with some further adjustments made on a case-by-case basis.

The Magistrates' Court will resume with a normal schedule on January 8, while some more urgent bail application and intervention order matters have continued over the break.

County Court matters will not resume until January 22.

It is possible some hearings before November 1 were also affected.

"The potential access is confined to recordings stored on the network," Ms Anderson said.

"We understand this will be unsettling for those who have been part of a hearing.

"We recognise and apologise for the distress that this may cause people."

CSV has established a Contact Centre with dedicated staff which is available to those seeking further information or assistance. This includes support from IDCARE, Australia's national identity and cyber support community service.

The Centre can be contacted via telephone at 03 9087 6116 or email on CSVData@courts.vic.gov.au

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