‘Lucky’ Gattellari eligible for parole in December, after sentencing for Ron Medich extortion

Former Qantas steward Fortunato “Lucky” Gattellari has been sentenced to at least two years in prison for trying to squeeze up to $50 million from murderous property developer Ron Medich.

• Lucky Gattellari accused of plot to extort $50 from Ron Medich
• Lucky Gattellari: Star witness begs NSW Parole board for jail release

In December a jury found the 69-year-old guilty of two extortion plots in 2013 and 2014, one of which involved former killer cops Roger Rogerson and Glen McNamara.

The jury also found the ex-boxer’s prison buddy Shayne Hatfield guilty of playing a role in one of the schemes.

Fortunato “Lucky” Gattellari is led into a car after appearing at the Ron Medich murder trial at the Supreme Court in Sydney, in January 2017. Picture: AAP Image/David Moir

On Friday Judge Penelope Hock sentenced Gattellari to a maximum four years and four months in prison with a non-parole period of two years and two months in the Downing Centre District Court.

With time already served it means he will be eligible for release on parole from December 12.

The judge handed Hatfield three years and four months in jail with a minimum period of two years and two months.

Judge Hock took into account the considerable delay in both men’s cases following an unexplained hiatus between 2014 and 2016, noting the “onerous conditions” Gattellari has suffered in custody for close to nine years.

The Crown alleged Gattellari had asked Medich for $1 million to help with his legal fees and bail after he had been charged over the 2009 murder of Sydney businessman and loan shark Michael McGurk.

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But the money never came through and Gattellari later became the star witness in the prosecution case against Medich in return for a lighter sentence for his role in McGurk’s execution.

In April 2018 Gattellari finished his minimum seven-and-a-half year jail term for being an accessory before Mr McGurk’s murder, receiving a 60 per cent discount for his guilty plea and helping authorities.

The judge ruled that Gattellari was “bitter” about Medich’s refusal to cough up cash for his legal fees, wanted financial gain and was frustrated by delays in the trial.

“But ironically it led to a further postponement of the trial,” Judge Hock said.

The court heard 53-year-old convicted drug supplier Hatfield was motivated purely by greed.

The prosecution said Gattellari hatched a plan with fellow inmate Robert McCarthy and another man in 2013 to approach Medich via members of his family seeking up to $50 million in return for changing his evidence against him at trial.

Property developer Ron Medich leaves James St court in 2018. Picture: Jenny Evans

But Gattellari maintains his innocence and gave evidence he believed three NSW Police officers he was talking to were aware of his plans to trap Medich and did nothing to stop him.

The court heard Gattellari had written his plan on a series of handwritten notes with one entitled, “Trap for Ron Medich with Roger Rogerson”.

Gattellari told police that he never intended to accept anything from Medich and that his only intention was to “to get Ron Medich to be caught with his hand in the till”.

Crown prosecutor Darren Robinson argued Gattellari had a strong motive for wanting to extort money from Medich — his former best mate with whom he used to share long lunches, attend the races and visit Chinese massage parlours.

Mr Robinson said the first attempt involved a demand for $10 million, which was later upped to $15 million.

A second plot involved a $30 to $50 million demand and involved killer cops Roger Rogerson and Glen McNamara, Gattellari’s fellow Cooma jail inmate Hatfield and another woman.

Judge Hock labelled these sums “staggering in their enormity”.

She said Gattellari has shown remorse, with the married father unlikely to reoffend given his age and strong family support, but she was more guarded about Hatfield’s prospects for rehabilitation.