Colourful Melbourne identity Mr Tony Mokbel has been released on bail from prison after the Victorian Court of Criminal Appeal ruled in his favour and found that there is a strong chance that his drug trafficking and importation convictions will be quashed.
Mr Mokbel was bailed, pending an appeal of the convictions. His appeal is a result of the ‘Lawyer X’ scandal in which a judge found that Victorian Police had perverted the course of justice in a “joint criminal enterprise” with Lawyer X, Nicola Gobbo.
Criminal Lawyers Group have been nationally recognised as the top criminal law firm in NSW for launching successful appeals for clients who approach the prestigious law firm having previously been convicted of criminal offences. Our expert criminal lawyers specialise in appealing both convictions and sentences. If you or anyone you know have been convicted of a crime, contact our award-winning team of specialised criminal lawyers at Criminal Lawyers Group immediately for a free consultation to explore your appeal options.
WHAT IS THE TIME LIMIT TO APPEAL IN NSW?
It is important to be wary of time limits associated with seeking to appeal a conviction or a sentence. Appeals against a sentence or conviction decision of a Local or District Court in NSW must be lodged within 28 days, otherwise leave must be sought within 3 months.
Due to the stringent time limits on lodging an appeal, it is imperative that you contact the criminal appeal experts at Criminal Lawyers Group immediately to explore your appeal options.
WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF APPEALS?
- Conviction Appeal: An appeal by a convicted person against their conviction.
- Sentence Appeal: An appeal by a convicted person against the sentence imposed against them.
- All Grounds Appeal: An appeal by a convicted person against both their conviction and sentence.
- Crown Sentence Appeal: An appeal by the Crown against a sentence they consider manifestly inadequate.
The prosecution cannot appeal against a Not Guilty verdict.
WHAT WAS THE LAWYER X SCANDAL?
Numerous convictions against many Victorian gangland identities were tainted by revelations that Nicola Gobbo, who had represented individuals who would be convicted of criminal offences, was in fact working against her clients as a secret informer for the Victorian Police.
The scandal is the basis of Tony Mokbel’s appeal against his drug trafficking and importation convictions, in which he argued that he would not have agreed to a plea deal had he known Gobbo was providing evidence against him to Victorian Police.
TONY MOKBEL UNDER STRICT BAIL CONDITIONS DURING APPEAL
Tony Mokbel was released on bail after serving 18 years of a 26-year sentence as he proceeds with the appealing of his convictions. The granting of bail was tied to strict bail conditions, including:
- Reporting to Police daily
- Abiding by a strict curfew
- Electronic monitoring
- No ownership and use of a smartphone
- $1 million bail guarantee which was put up by his sister
Justice Karin Emerton, the President of the Victorian Court of Appeal found that while Mokbel previously fled Australia for Greece while on bail in 2006, stringent conditions would negate any risk of a similar re-occurrence. The Court also gave consideration to the view that the harsh conditions Mr Mokbel had been held in for almost two decades would have had some effect on deterrence.
AWARD-WINNING CRIMINAL APPEALS LAWYER SCATHING OF POLICE ACTIONS
Criminal Lawyers Group’s Principal and award-winning criminal appeals lawyer Mr Steven Mercael has strongly criticised the conduct of Victorian Police in light of the ‘Lawyer X’ revelations, stating that the conduct of police had impeded on the rights of the accused and undermined the sanctity of the legal system in Australia. He reported that it was no surprise that Tony Mokbel’s convictions are the subject of an Appeal.
CONTACT CRIMINAL LAWYERS GROUP NOW
A criminal conviction can have lifelong implications. If you or anyone you know have been convicted of a criminal offence, contact our expert criminal lawyers at Criminal Lawyers Group immediately for a free consultation to explore your appeal options. Our award-winning team of criminal appeal specialists are nationally recognised for securing the best outcomes for our clients across NSW who have sought to appeal their criminal convictions or sentences.