Tony Mokbel walks free after sentence reduction
Gangland figure Tony Mokbel has been resentenced on appeal, leading to his immediate release from prison after a major reduction of his 2012 drug trafficking sentence.
Background and Sentencing
In 2012, Mokbel was sentenced to 30 years in prison with a non-parole period of 22 years after admitting guilt to organizing a large-scale drug operation across three criminal cases. Twenty years of that sentence related to one of these cases.
Appeal and Release
On Thursday, the court reduced the sentence to 13 years, seven months, and 15 days, which was counted as time already served before his appeal was heard.
“He is taken to have served that entire sentence,” Justice Stephen McLeish said.
Following the decision, Mokbel bowed to the justices, kissed his girlfriend, and left the courthouse smiling without making any public statement as he crossed Lonsdale Street toward his legal team’s chambers.
Factors Considered by the Court
Justice McLeish noted that the resentencing accounted for several factors, including the 2023 quashing of Mokbel’s earlier conviction known as Plutonium, his head injury sustained while in custody, and his status as a first-time drug offender.
Recent Legal Developments
On October 3, Justices Stephen McLeish, Maree Kennedy, and Stephen Kaye of the Court of Appeal unanimously dismissed one of Mokbel’s three core convictions, known as Quills, ordered a new trial for the case Orbital, and upheld another, Magnum.
Author’s summary: Mokbel’s sentence reduction reflects appellate leniency after overturning prior charges and acknowledging time served, effectively granting his release.