Winning Melbourne Cup breeder Felicity Fraser to be sentenced over major failed cocaine importation

A court has heard of the unusual circumstances which led to a respected horse breeder being embroiled in a $400m bungled cocaine importation.

Felicity Fraser led a respectable life as a well-known polo figure in New South Wales and shot to fame when she bred the 2009 Melbourne Cup winner, ‘Shocking’.

But her reputation took a hit when her involvement in a bungled cocaine importation worth an estimated whopping $400m came to light.

Now, a court has heard the unusual circumstances that led to her “impulsive” decision making, with her lawyer arguing she was in an “emotional paralysis” due to a combination of accumulative brain injuries and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms.

The 42-year-old faced a sentence hearing in Newcastle District Court on Friday after pleading guilty to conspiring to import a commercial quantity of an illegal drug between 2017 and 2021.

The court heard Fraser was persuaded by her boss Peter Leslie Ritson to attempt to import 1050 kilograms of cocaine in four shipments from Ecuador.

Fraser had no criminal record and was close with her community before the offending. Picture: Facebook

One of those shipments never arrived in Australia and three of them arrived without the drugs on board.

Fraser’s defence barrister, Ms Lang Goodsell, told the court there was a “power difference” between Fraser and Mr Ritson whom she did bookkeeping for and that she did not at first understand what she was getting into.

She told the court she developed PTSD after the breakdown of her marriage and other traumatic experiences, while also struggling to stay afloat financially and look after her many horses.

“Her unique bizarre role as an employee to one of these people just does not fit neatly within what has been before the courts before — it may never be seen again quite frankly,” Ms Goodsell said.

“It’s an unusual situation where Your Honour would see someone with PTSD resorting to particular means to deal with this disorder.”

The court heard Fraser began acting “in a fog” due to her PTSD. Picture: Facebook

Ms Goodsell argued her client’s role was a “small dot” within a larger conspiracy,

“She’s not at the table, she’s out preparing the tea; she’s performing administrative tasks,” she said.

The court heard Fraser made $38,000 out of the work she did with Ritson, 60, and she became motivated by a fear of him as time went on as opposed to financial gain.

Judge Peter McGrath said there did not appear to be any evidence of brain trauma and psychiatric assessment results appeared to be consistent with psychological trauma.

He accepted her PTSD symptoms showed she was “obviously in a fog” but questioned how far it went to explain her involvement in the offence for three to four years.

“She is someone with otherwise impeccable standing in the community,” he said, noting multiple character references tendered to the court described Fraser as a “loved, kind and generous person”.

Crown prosecutor Rebecca Suters argued Fraser’s PTSD did not reduce her moral culpability.

In regards to Fraser’s supposed fear of Ritson, she told the court there was “no objective evidence of any threats to her”.

Fraser and Ritson were arrested in February last year before both pleading guilty to one count of conspiring to import a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug.

Ritson also pleaded guilty to possessing an unregistered firearm and possessing ammunition without holding a licence.

Fraser is due to be sentenced on August 11 and Ritson will be sentenced on September 13.