# NT Police admit caution may be mistaken identity

> NT Police say MP Luke Gosling's bail caution likely mistaken for doppelganger.
- Title: NT Police admit caution may be mistaken identity · Abc
- Summary: NT Police say MP Luke Gosling's bail caution likely mistaken for doppelganger. NT Police admitted a caution issued to Labor MP Luke Gosling for allegedly…
- Keywords: nt police, luke gosling, bail caution, doppelganger, boatshed cafe, cullen bay, nt administrator, david connolly, sue brosnan, marty aust, megan donahoe, nt thailand grand festival
- Source: Abc — https://abc.net.au/news/2026-11-04/luke-gosling-bail-caution-possible-mistaken-identity-police/107336970
- Published: 2026-11-04T09:41:30+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: nt police, luke gosling, bail caution, doppelganger, boatshed cafe, cullen bay, nt administrator, david connolly, sue brosnan, marty aust, megan donahoe, nt thailand grand festival
## NT Police caution
NT Police admitted a formal caution issued to federal MP Luke Gosling for allegedly breaching bail conditions may have been mistaken identity.

> NT Police have admitted photos appearing to show Labor MP Luke Gosling in "potential breach" of his bail may instead show a "doppelganger"
## Bail conditions
Luke Gosling faces two charges of assaulting NT Administrator David Connolly at a Thai festival in July and is subject to strict bail conditions preventing him from coming within 15 metres of Connolly.
## Photos sent to police
Court documents show Sue Brosnan emailed photos purportedly showing Gosling at the Boatshed cafe in Cullen Bay on September 1 to police.
## Sergeant Hutchinson's email
Sergeant Hutchinson wrote that Connolly and Brosnan reported seeing Gosling at the Boatshed cafe at 8:20am on September 1, claiming he moved to a table over 15 metres from Connolly.

> Mr Gosling initially sat at a nearby table with a female acquaintance... he looked in the direction of the administrator and appeared to recognise him... he then moved to a table located more than 15 metres from the administrator
## Gosling's response
Defence barrister Marty Aust SC emailed that Gosling was engaged in school drop-off at 8:20am on September 1 and could not have been at the Boatshed cafe.

> He was not present at the Boatshed at any time on [September 1], at 8:20am that morning he was engaged in school drop-off
## Sergeant Hutchinson's clarification
Sergeant Hutchinson admitted the photos may show a doppelganger and offered to withdraw the caution if evidence proved Gosling was not at the Boatshed cafe.

> That said, i am certainly open to being corrected, it may well be that mr gosling has a doppelganger in darwin... i am more than happy to have the caution withdrawn
## Defence evidence request
Defence solicitor Megan Donahoe sought summonses for CCTV footage from Gosling's children's school and a Darwin hotel to prove he was not at the Boatshed cafe.

> If that was the case, it would demonstrate that the complainant and his wife mistakenly identified another person as mr gosling
## Prosecutor's concern
Prosecutor Joanne Poole said pre-trial reporting could prejudice the fair trial but would not object to media viewing the photos once they were public.

> There is a strong public interest in this matter and there is a concern that any pre-trial reporting of this matter be kept to the minimum to avoid any prejudice
## Next steps
Gosling's case is scheduled to return to court this month for a hearing on assault charges after prosecutors withdrew a separate August charge.
## Key takeaway

NT Police admitted a caution issued to Labor MP Luke Gosling for allegedly breaching bail conditions may have been mistaken identity, as photos showed a doppelganger at the Boatshed cafe.