Tony Mokbel walks free after drug sentence reduced
Gangland figure Tony Mokbel has again walked free from court after his major drug trafficking sentence was cut on appeal. The ruling ends over a decade of legal battles stemming from his 2012 conviction.
Sentence Reduction and Appeal
In 2012, Mokbel received a 30-year prison sentence with a non-parole period of 22 years for leading an extensive drug syndicate across three cases. Of that sentence, 20 years related to one particular case.
On Thursday, the court reduced his sentence to 13 years, seven months, and 15 days. This was deemed “time already served,” leaving Mokbel free to walk out of court immediately.
“He is taken to have served that entire sentence,” Justice Stephen McLeish said.
Courtroom Scene
After the verdict, Mokbel stood, bowed to the justices, then turned to kiss his girlfriend before leaving the courtroom smiling. He crossed Lonsdale Street and entered his legal team’s chambers without making any public statement.
Factors Influencing the Resentencing
Justice McLeish noted that the decision considered several factors, including the 2023 quashing of a prior conviction known as Plutonium, Mokbel’s head injury sustained while imprisoned, and the decision to treat him as a first-time drug offender.
Background of Appeals
On October 3, Court of Appeal Justices Stephen McLeish, Maree Kennedy, and Stephen Kaye collectively overturned one of Mokbel’s three main drug convictions (Quills), ordered a retrial on another (Orbital), and upheld the remaining one (Magnum).
Author’s Summary
Tony Mokbel, once facing three major drug convictions, has been released after his sentence was recalculated to time served due to appeal rulings and mitigating health considerations.