Notorious crime figure Tony Mokbel will avoid a return to prison following a re-sentencing for his involvement in trafficking over 41 kilograms of methylamphetamine.
The 60-year-old Mokbel had attempted to overturn his 2006 conviction, alleging that Nicola Gobbo, a barrister who later became an informant, compromised the integrity of his case.
However, the Victorian Court of Appeal rejected his appeal in October, upholding the drug trafficking conviction tied to a police operation known as Magnum.
The court determined that Gobbo, acting as a registered informant for Victoria Police, persuaded two of her clients to provide evidence against Mokbel and cooperate with authorities.
Despite her dual role, Gobbo was simultaneously offering legal representation or advice to Mokbel during court proceedings.
Police had utilized testimony from one of Gobbo’s clients, identified by the pseudonym Mr. Bickley, as a key component in prosecuting Mokbel on charges related to the Quills drug trafficking operation.
The court determined there had been a substantial miscarriage of justice and Mokbel’s conviction in that matter should be quashed.
The Orbital drug importation conviction was also set aside, but the justices determined Mokbel should face a retrial.
The Victorian Director of Public Prosecution is considering whether to retry Mokbel but a decision has not yet been made, a spokeswoman told AAP.
