Drug baron Tony Mokbel ready to launch freedom appeal bid, court hears
Jailed drug baron Tony Mokbel is ready and raring to launch his bid for freedom after more than a decade behind bars, a court has heard. But there's one thing that’ll stop him leaving this year.
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Jailed drug baron Tony Mokbel is ready and raring to launch his bid for freedom after more than a decade behind bars, a court has heard.
But the prospect of having his appeal heard before the end of 2020 seems unlikely after he was told he would need to wait just a little longer yet.
The underworld kingpin suited up for his brief appearance in the Court of Appeal on Wednesday morning where his lawyer told the court they have now gathered enough material to launch his appeal.
Mokbel, who has been behind bars since 2007 and recently survived a near fatal jailhouse bashing, wore a bright red tie and pinstripe suit for the occasion.
The suburban drug lord is among a number of gangland figures appealing their convictions over the use of barrister-turned police informer Nicola Gobbo — aka Lawyer X.
The convicted drug trafficker sat with his hands clasped and listened quietly as his counsel urged the court not to delay his case any further.
“We have been seeking disclosure for many years and we have finally got to a point where we believe we have enough to proceed to an appeal,” barrister Richard Maidment QC told the directions hearing.
“Through the lense of Mr Mokbel, he has been seeking disclosure for a very long time,”
“He is very anxious now to proceed as quickly as possible to a hearing,” Mr Maidment said.
Lawyers for the State and Commonwealth Director of Prosecutions said they had only become aware overnight Mokbel was ready to proceed to an appeal and had been anticipating yet another application for further material to be produced by the crown.
Chief Crown prosecutor Brendan Kissane QC said the DPP would need eight weeks to prepare their response to Mokbel’s case, given the material relied upon is upwards of 14,000 pages.
Mokbel is serving a minimum 22 year sentence for drug trafficking.
Registrar Ian Irving said he acknowledged Mokbel’s eagerness to have his appeal heard, but ultimately granted the two month extension giving the parties until November 25 to prepare their response.
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