Australian Gangster Tony Mokbel's Drug Sentence Reduced
Tony Mokbel, one of Australia’s most notorious gangsters, had his prison sentence for drug trafficking lowered from 20 years to 13 years after revelations about his lawyer acting as a police informant.
Background of the Case
In 2012, Mokbel was sentenced to 30 years for running a large drug syndicate during Melbourne’s gangland war. His criminal group, known as “The Company,” was tied to numerous murders depicted in the TV series Underbelly.
The Nicola Gobbo Informant Scandal
The case took a surprising turn when it was revealed that Nicola Gobbo, Mokbel’s prominent lawyer, was secretly providing information to the police while representing him and others.
Legal Proceedings and Sentence Reduction
- Mokbel served about 18 years before being released on bail in April following a successful appeal.
- His lawyers argued that, had he known about Gobbo’s role as Informer 3838, he would not have pleaded guilty.
- The Court of Appeal dealt particularly with a charge of trafficking more than 41 kilograms of methylamphetamine between 2006 and 2007.
- Although the appeal on this charge was dismissed, Mokbel’s original 20-year sentence was cut to 13 years, seven months, and 15 days.
"The court noted Mokbel’s crimes were 'very grave' but acknowledged 'unusual circumstances' in the case."
Judges also considered that Mokbel was a first-time drug offender and had suffered serious injuries during his imprisonment.
Author’s Summary
This case highlights how breaches of legal ethics can impact sentencing, leading to a significant reduction in prison time despite severe criminal conduct.