The risky lifestyle led by former gangland lawyer Nicola Gobbo as she informed on some of Australia's most notorious criminals has been detailed in thousands of court documents that were shrouded in secrecy until Friday.

The document dump coincides with the lifting of suppression orders in relation to Victoria Police's use of Ms Gobbo — also known as Lawyer X or Informer 3838.

The documents — from the Victorian Supreme Court, the Victorian Court of Appeal and the High Court — reveal:

Victoria's top cop saw Lawyer X as a 'glittering prize'

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton told the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) inquiry into Ms Gobbo's management that she was seen as "a glittering prize" that could solve murders at the height of the gangland war.

But the 2014 inquiry, carried out by former Supreme Court judge Murray Kellam QC, found she was a prize that blinded them to their ethical obligations.

Giving evidence to the Kellam inquiry about the use of Ms Gobbo, Mr Ashton said police command was under "considerable pressure" during the gangland war, when they started to use her as a snitch.

"This human source comes on board that could potentially solve a bunch of … murders or prevent others," he told the inquiry.

"And this glittering prize … sometimes diverts you from the necessary sense of steps," he said.

Graham Ashton said had he been in charge of Ms Gobbo's handling, he would have obtained legal advice earlier. ( AAP: Ellen Smith )

Mr Ashton told the inquiry that had he been in charge of the Source Development Unit — the unit which managed Ms Gobbo — he would have obtained legal advice to get some "top cover" for both himself and for the police handlers.

More recently the Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informants was told Victoria Police did not obtain legal advice until 2011, two and a half years after Ms Gobbo was deregistered as an informer.

At the IBAC inquiry Mr Ashton rejected the term "noble cause" as the explanation for the failures of police, saying the term "implies that you are aware of the fact that you are doing something improper".

Mr Ashton sat on a steering committees that oversaw the Petra Taskforce and Operation Driver, which wanted to use Ms Gobbo as a witness from 2009 onwards.

He would later head up crime command for Victoria Police, before becoming a deputy commissioner and in 2015, Chief Commissioner.

Underworld hitman and Carl Williams ally threatened Nicola Gobbo

In a sworn affidavit, Ms Gobbo said in 2003 her clients Carl Williams and Mokbel warned her to not represent rival gangland figure Lewis Moran in an upcoming bail hearing.

But she decided to anyway.

Ms Gobbo said Lewis Moran's rivals told her not to represent him. ( AAP: Joe Castro )

A few days later, gangland hitman Andrew Veniamin — who the previous year had shot dead underworld figure Victor Peirce — was waiting outside her home.

"He screamed and threatened me," she wrote.

She recounts Veniamin saying: "You are part of our crew. You were told not to go anywhere near Moran, and you did it anyway.

"How dare you do what we told you not to do. Tony's not happy with you. Carl is not happy with you. You're a f***ing dog."

The next week, a detective from the Purana taskforce, Senior Sergeant Phillip Swindells, approached her.

"We know what happened with Andrew Veniamin," Ms Gobbo paraphrased.

"He is a dangerous individual, and you need to be very careful.

"If you want to talk to us, you know how to contact us."

Ms Gobbo said Carl Williams told her not to take his rival, Lewis Moran, as a client. ( AAP )

Detectives raised the idea of Ms Gobbo becoming an informer during a drive around Footscray

In 2005, Mokbel asked Ms Gobbo to represent one of his drug cooks who had been arrested for manufacturing MDMA.

Ms Gobbo realised she could not act for the man, citing a conflict of interest.

"At this point I was highly stressed, and at what I would describe as a breaking point, over the likely adverse reaction of Tony Mokbel," she wrote.

Victoria Police detectives Paul Rowe and Steve Mansell approached her and took her for a drive around Footscray.

It was then, she claimed, they raised the idea of her becoming a police informer.

"I said words to the effect of 'if anyone finds out about this, I will be murdered.'"

"[Sergeant] Mansell said words to the effect of 'yes, this would have to be managed carefully'."

Simon Overland believed Ms Gobbo was 'pathologically incapable' of acting in her own best interests

A police handler told the IBAC inquiry that the unit managing Ms Gobbo from 2005 onwards was driven by the then-assistant commissioner Simon Overland.

Mr Overland, who would go on to become chief commissioner, told the inquiry it was probably right to describe him as one of the "leading lights" pushing for the unit.

According to the IBAC report, Mr Overland discussed with Ms Gobbo's handlers the ethics of the barrister giving information on her own clients, but effectively washed his hands of responsibility, deciding that was up to her.

Mr Overland also told the inquiry he thought Ms Gobbo had "personality and attachment disorders" and was "pathologically incapable of acting in [her own] best interests".

The report states police including Mr Overland formed the view that Ms Gobbo "apparently suffered psychiatric or psychological and personality dysfunction which was reflected in an aberrant lifestyle".

Simon Overland believed that Ms Gobbo had "personality and attachment disorders". ( 7pm TV News VIC )

It notes how she would phone her handlers up to nine times a day and at all hours, and would socialise with both police and known criminals, while taking significant amounts of medication.

Just six months after she was recruited as an informer, Mr Overland was already discussing the process of terminating her as an informant.

The report notes at the time police discussed offering her a potential reward and giving her an acknowledgement of appreciation.

However, she was retained as an informer for another three years, until she was deregistered and became a witness for the Petra Taskforce investigating the 2003 murder of police informer Terence Hodson and his wife Christine.

The author of the IBAC report, Murray Kellam QC, found senior police who oversaw Ms Gobbo's handling were responsible for "negligence of the highest order".

Police promised Ms Gobbo her identity would always remain secret

In September 2005, police handlers promised to protect Ms Gobbo from ever being identified, she said in a sworn affidavit.

"You will never be revealed as an informer or called as a witness," she said one of her handlers told her.

She warned the officers: "If this gets out, say nice things at my eulogy, because I will be gone — and enjoy the royal commission."

Police discussed offering Ms Gobbo a reward for her information. ( ABC News )

She goes on to write: "At no stage was I asked to enter into any written agreement in relation to my informing, or provided with any document outlining the terms of the informer–Victoria Police relationship."

In 2014, she got a call from Herald Sun journalist Anthony Dowsley.

"He said words to the effect, 'I am going to publish an article tomorrow naming you as a police informer', and 'I know the names of your handlers and I know your registered number'."

A suppression order was put in place only after regional editions of the paper went to print, she writes.

Ms Gobbo urged police to charge Tony Mokbel with more serious offences so that he wouldn't get bail

While drug trafficker Tony Mokbel was on bail for cocaine smuggling, Ms Gobbo urged police to charge him with more serious offences that would put him in jail.

In September 2015, she told her handler, known only as Operative 3, that Mokbel thought police were a joke. She suggested they use an undercover operative to snare him.

"Ideally, what would be fantastic would be, you arrest him," Ms Gobbo said. "Ideally. I hope you're not recording this. Or I'll shoot you."

Ms Gobbo went on to say she hoped he was charged with "something strong enough and big enough" that he could never get bail and that he would plead guilty.

She then told the handler the best way to get him.

Operative 3: "If you were in a position to say: Boys this is all you have to do to lock him up [what would you advise?]" Ms Gobbo: "Send him an undercover." Operative 3: "To do what?" Ms Gobbo: "Bribe him. Bribe, money, tapes, information. He thinks all police officers are a joke. Or enough money. And he continually tries to make you think he's got police in his back pocket. Continuously."

Drug kingpin Tony Mokbel was among Nicola Gobbo's list of high-profile clients. ( ABC News )

She spoke to Mokbel while he was in an Athens prison, then relayed the conversation to police

During his cocaine smuggling trial, Mokbel skipped bail and fled to Greece where he remained Australia's most wanted fugitive.

A week after his arrest, following a 15-month manhunt, Ms Gobbo spoke with her handlers.

In a conversation with her handlers on June 15, 2007, she relayed the conversation she had with Mokbel while he was in an Athens prison with 3,000 other inmates.

"Will plead to all drug charges. Don't care what, don't care how many, happy to do 20 years," Ms Gobbo said. "[Mokbel said] not running away from the bad things I've done with drugs. But I will not deal with murders."

Ms Gobbo encouraged police to use an undercover operative against Mokbel. ( ABC News )

Mokbel wanted her to call then-deputy commissioner Simon Overland to strike a deal

"He's saying, 'No see if you can do some deal'," Ms Gobbo said, according to a transcript of a conversation with her handlers. "That's what he said, 'Ring up that Overland'. I said, 'Yeah, no problem' just ring you up, terrific."

Gobbo was later asked whether she would fly to Greece.

Male: "But if you want to go and represent him, that's clearly your choice." Ms Gobbo: "I can't, I'm a witness against him." Male: "In what?" Ms Gobbo: "Perverting the course of justice." [The pair then argue about the likelihood of that charge being laid.] Male: "Does that mean you couldn't represent him?" Ms Gobbo: "Well, one of the many ironies of all this is I have so many conflicts with the bloke but what does he know? He doesn't know about any of them. They'll all stay hidden."

Police warned against enlisting Gobbo's help to extradite Mokbel

Police documents state recordings of Mokbel revealed he wanted Nicola Gobbo to fly to Greece shortly after his arrest to help fight his extradition.

"Tony indicated that he would talk to investigators if managed and handled by [Gobbo]," an informer contact report said.

"Did mention that he could nominate corrupt police but wouldn't roll over on them. Tony is considering talking to the police."

The notes also state that Purana Taskforce detectives did not want to enlist Gobbo's help in their efforts to extradite Mokbel due to concerns it would create "problems in relation to ethics".

"Discussed the possible consequences of [Gobbo] again being involved with Tony MOKBEL," the document states. "[But Gobbo] feels that it is her responsibility to ensure that Tony returns to Melbourne. [Gobbo] states that Tony will ultimately agree to return to Melbourne.

"[Gobbo] raised the reward that has been offered leading to the arrest of Tony MOKBEL. 3838 wants to know if any consideration has been given to 3838 being given a percentage of the reward offered."