Bassam Hamzy claims Brothers 4 Life gang headed in ‘new direction’ of lawful pursuits

A notorious crime boss has told a court that he wants to take his gang in “a new direction” and maybe even sell shoes.

A notorious crime boss has made a shock claim, telling a judge he wants to take his criminal gang in “a new direction” of “lawful pursuits”.

Bassam Hamzy, the Brothers 4 Life founder, was last year found guilty of supplying a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug that he co-ordinated through coded phone calls and knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime.

Judge Antony Townsden heard lengthy submissions from Hamzy’s barrister Dennis Stewart when the now 46-year-old appeared in the Downing Centre District Court on Tuesday.

Mr Stewart told the court that although the jury had ultimately accepted beyond reasonable doubt that a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug had been supplied, he argued there were issues with the trial itself that he deemed “clearly problematic”.

“With all due respect to the jury and their decision … there is very little basis of a guilty verdict in relation to count 2,” he said.

Mr Stewart argued much of the evidence in the trial was “doubtful”, and it could not be found beyond reasonable doubt exactly what role Hamzy played in the drug network.

Mr Stewart also reminded the court that Hamzy had already served decades behind bars after being incarcerated when he was just 19 years of age in 1999.

Bassam Hamzy has told a court he wants to take his criminal gang in ‘a new direction’.

“He has already been in custody for an extremely long period of time and is still not eligible for release for another 10 years time, not taking into account any further sentencing by Your Honour,” he said.

“The severity of this sentence is not a straight line … as time goes on the burden of being in custody will increase.

“Mr Hamzy is going to be much older by the time he faces this sentence … and the mental impact of his incarceration would worsen, the mental impact of being in very strict conditions of custody will be even more onerous in 10 years’ time.”

Mr Stewart added it was “hard to imagine” what the impact of being in this type of custody for decades would have on Hamzy.

“Mr Hamzy has been in this incredibly strict regimen since 2002 when he was placed in the Supermax, the impact on him mentally and physically is enormous,” he said.

The Brothers 4 Life founder was found guilty of supplying a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug during a trial last year.

“We say it’s comparable to a regimen of torture … it’s a level of isolation and restriction which the most psychologically strong person and well-equipped person would find very difficult to endure.”

Mr Stewart told the court that Hamzy had expressed that he wanted to take his life in a new direction and engage in lawful business pursuits.

“Mr Hamzy said he wanted to take The Brothers 4 Life group, which my understanding is no longer operative, in a new direction … and he sought to deter members from engaging in criminal activity and rather pursue lawful pursuits such as the potential importation of shoes so that they could make money through lawful pursuits,” he said.

“He has also in recent times become more hands on and involved in his own prosecution involving unfairness with his custodial situation and is taking interests in legal studies.”

‘HOW ON EARTH?’

The court was told Hamzy was able to direct five different drug deals using a contraband mobile phone while inside the maximum security prison by giving directions through his lawyer who has since died.

Hamzy stood to make $1500 per supply.

Judge Antony Townsden asked “how on earth” a phone was able to get inside a restricted facility, labelling it as an “extraordinary situation”.

“I accept the conditions in custody are harsh … there’s no question,” he said.

“But the elephant in the room is that these offences occurred while under strict incarceration.”

While the court was told Hamzy had been experiencing mental health concerns while in custody such as PTSD, bipolar and depressive episodes, Crown prosecutor Adrian Roberston told the court these concerns had “little place in sentencing”.

He continued to offend while in jail, the court was told.

“The detailed evidence showed the offender was still able to function at a high level over a significant period of time,” he said in the Crown’s sentencing submissions.

“He continued to offend while in custody, and each offence was very serious. Your Honour is faced with a question: What do we do with an offender who continues to commit serious offences while in custody?”

Mr Stewart argued that Hamzy had displayed a “distinct ability to get around the rules”.

“He was able to manipulate people you would think would not be easily manipulated,” he said.

The sentencing continues.

Hamzy is being held at Goulburn’s High Risk Management Correctional Centre alongside many of Australia’s worst offenders.

He has remained behind bars for decades thanks to his lengthy involvement in crime, initially for a deadly shooting on Oxford St in Sydney and then as head of the crime network bearing his surname.

During his time behind bars he has made headlines on numerous occasions, including for several violent brawls with rival inmates.

In 2018, he went toe-to-toe with Talal Alameddine, the younger brother of Alameddine crime clan boss Rafat in an exercise yard at Supermax.

That incident came several years before the Hamzys and Alameddines were infamously involved in a deadly gang war on Sydney’s streets.