George Marrogi, a notorious figure in the criminal world known for allegedly orchestrating an elaborate escape plan from a high-security prison, has encountered a setback in his civil lawsuit due to a recent controversy involving contraband found in his cell.

Marrogi has initiated legal action against Victoria’s Department of Justice, seeking improved prison conditions that would allow him more time in the open air, advocating for a modicum of greater liberty while he serves his sentence.

The legal proceedings were expected to reach their closing arguments in the Supreme Court today. However, the case was interrupted when Liam Brown SC, the department’s barrister, argued that recent allegations regarding the discovery of contraband should be presented to witnesses who had previously testified.

The court was informed that on September 17, officials uncovered several prohibited items in Marrogi’s cell, including a mobile phone with a charger, three screwdrivers, and 51 heart-shaped pills.

Representing Marrogi, barrister Sarala Fitzgerald emphasized her client’s record of good behavior, highlighting that he had not reoffended in matters of assault or arson during his incarceration.

Justice Claire Harris regarded the contraband discovery as a grave matter, granting a request to reopen the case, which inevitably prolongs the proceedings and postpones the final judgment.

It comes as court documents allege Marrogi had previously plotted an escape out of Barwon Prison, where he would be airlifted out by helicopter and taken to a luxury yacht.

Corrections Victoria uncovered Marrogi’s plot in April 2022 after conducting targeted searches of his personal property at Barwon Prison, according to affidavits released by Victoria’s Supreme Court today.

The foiled plan had advanced far enough that the underworld figure had documents containing private information about prison staff, their families, a judge, a tax invoice for a yacht and aerial images of certain units inside the prison.

“These documents, together with intelligence information collected by [Corrections Victoria], indicated that the plaintiff had been conspiring via unmonitored legal calls to escape prison using a helicopter,” assistant commissioner for sentence management Jennifer Hosking said in an affidavit.

“The design drawings and tax invoice for the yacht indicated that a yacht was intended to be involved in the escape plans.”

The affidavit claimed Marrogi had spoken about various ways to escape, including having associates extract him by force during an escort, using a helicopter and bribing a Corrections Victoria staff member to have him released from custody through an “administrative error”.

Marrogi, 36, is serving a 32-year prison sentence for drug trafficking and the shooting murder of Kadir Ors in 2016.

Affidavits from prison staff detail Marrogi’s extensive criminal history and his conduct while in custody, including multiple threats and assaults against prison officers.

Marrogi’s trial is set to continue at a later date.