Mark Brian Pracy sentencing adjourned after pleading guilty to importing border-controlled drug

A man who has pleaded guilty to importing tens of kilos of drugs on a “black flight” from PNG has been made to wait to learn his sentence after a late move by the judge.

Australian Federal Police claim a plane left Papua New Guinea with tens of kilos of methamphetamine in March, 2023. Picture: AFP

A man has pleaded guilty to importing a border-controlled drug that was flown in as a “black flight” from Australia’s closest northern neighbour.

Mark Brian Pracy, who is facing a double-digit years-long punishment, was scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday, however Justice Michael Copley adjourned the proceeding on the legal principle that co-accused should be sentenced by the same judge at the same time where practicable.

Pracy is charged on the same indictment as Peter David Payne, Bernard Hamilton Alexander and John Horvath.

Alexander, who was the alleged pilot, has not yet entered a plea and is scheduled to be arraigned on May 7.

Payne is listed to be sentenced in June while Horvath’s charge may go to trial, Brisbane’s Supreme Court heard.

The plane touched down in Monto, about 120km west of Bundaberg. Picture: AFP

Australian Federal Police have claimed that a plane, allegedly flown by NSW men Alexander and his co-pilot Horvath, left Papua New Guinea with tens of kilos of methamphetamine in March, 2023.

The plane touched down in Monto, about 120km west of Bundaberg, where police alleged Pracy and Payne were acting as ground crew.

Specialist officers from the AFP and Queensland Police Service pounced on the group before the plane could complete the final leg of its trip to NSW.

Pracy, from Wilton, pleaded guilty to one count of importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug on March 21 2023 at Monto.

He has spent more than 700 days in custody and Justice Copley said it was likely he would receive a head sentence of “double figures” with a non-parole period of some years.

His sentence was adjourned to a date to be fixed.

Originally published as Mark Brian Pracy sentencing adjourned after pleading guilty to importing border-controlled drug