Australian Gangster Tony Mokbel's Sentence Reduced
Tony Mokbel, Australia's most notorious gangster, had his drug trafficking sentence cut from 20 years to 13 years, seven months, and 15 days. This change followed revelations that his lawyer, Nicola Gobbo, had secretly acted as a police informant during Melbourne's gangland war.
Background on Mokbel and His Crimes
In 2012, Mokbel was sentenced to 30 years in prison for leading an extensive drug syndicate known as "The Company," which was connected to numerous murders frequently depicted in the TV series Underbelly. He served around 18 years before being granted bail in April after courts allowed an appeal.
The Role of Lawyer Nicola Gobbo
The case took a critical turn when it emerged that Gobbo, a high-profile defense lawyer, had been informing police while representing clients, including Mokbel, under the codename Informer 3838.
Details of the Court’s Appeal Ruling
- The appeal primarily focused on the charge of trafficking over 41 kilograms of methylamphetamine between 2006 and 2007.
- Although the appeal against this charge was dismissed, the court decided to reduce Mokbel’s overall sentence.
- Justices described Mokbel’s offenses as “very grave” but recognized the “unusual circumstances” of the case.
- The court considered that Mokbel was a first-time drug offender and had suffered serious injuries during imprisonment.
"The court acknowledged ‘unusual circumstances’ in the case and took into account that he was a first-time drug offender who had endured serious injuries while incarcerated."
Legal Team's Argument
Mokbel’s lawyers argued that he would not have pleaded guilty if he had known about Gobbo’s double role as a police informant.
Summary
Despite serious crimes, the discovery of his lawyer's duplicity led to a significant reduction in Tony Mokbel’s drug trafficking sentence, highlighting complex legal and ethical issues within Melbourne’s gangland prosecutions.
Author’s summary: Tony Mokbel’s drug sentence was considerably reduced due to his lawyer’s covert cooperation with police, revealing conflicting interests that impacted legal outcomes in Melbourne’s gangland war.