He was in a coma for 24 days after the attack and still suffers from cognitive problems that affect his memory, planning, organization and reasoning, according to attorney Julie Condon, KC.
A lawyer who previously acted for Mokbel, but did not want to be identified because they had no instructions to speak on his behalf, said his physical and mental condition had rapidly deteriorated in recent years.
Nicola Gobbo and Tony Mokbel outside a court in 2004.Credit:Nine news
“He’s had problems with his heart for a long time, but he’s lost a lot of the swagger he used to have,” the lawyer said. The age.
“His health is terrible, which is not surprising given what happened to him.
“Tony is tough and he’s been relatively lucky with his heart so far, but who knows how long that will last.”
Condon, who appeared before Mokbel last month at a sentencing hearing in the Court of Appeals, said her high-profile client’s recovery was hampered by his lengthy stint in protective custody.
She said the isolation had also taken a toll on Mokbel’s mental health, as she requested that he be transferred to another prison where he could assimilate with other inmates.
“He is serving time in harsh conditions. His conditions in custody have hampered the rehabilitation process,” she said.
“Mr Mokbel spends most days in the order of 20 hours a day alone in his cell. He has no access to work, education or rehabilitation programs.”
Condon said Mokbel was entitled to some certainty about how long he would be behind bars.
“He just served a prison sentence that points to a conviction that is no longer valid,” she said.
The best of Good Weekend delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. Register here.
