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Irishman pleads guilty over Woomera breakout

category national | miscellaneous | news report author Thursday July 25, 2002 11:35author by kahootz

An Irish backpacker pleaded guilty today to assisting in the June breakout of 35 asylum seekers from a detention centre in the Australian outback.

Mr Jonathon Joseph O'Shea (22) was remanded in custody to be sentenced tomorrow after pleading guilty in the Port Augusta court to aiding and abetting the breakout from the Woomera centre in the desert of South Australia.

Thirty-five inmates, mostly from Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq, fled the centre on June 28th and eight are yet to be recaptured.

Last week two of the escapees, boys aged 12 and 13, sought refuge at the British consulate in Melbourne, demanding political asylum. The request was rejected and the two were returned to custody.

Woomera has experienced riots, hunger strikes, arson and self-mutilation by detainees, many of them failed asylum seekers, for the past year.

AFP

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author by !publication date Thu Jul 25, 2002 11:56author address author phone

would anyone be able to keep us posted on demo's etc that might be organised in regards to this? preferably in dublin but whatever. cheers!

update
author by lolapublication date Fri Jul 26, 2002 09:13author email pixie75 at hotmail dot comauthor address author phone

An Irish national has been sentenced to one month jail after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting the breakout.

He's already served most of this time as he was the only person refused bail and will get out some time next week.

This should give an indication of the sentences others charged with aiding and abetting could get if they plead guilty.


Here's the ABC story:

Backpacker to serve a month for Woomera escape

A 22-year-old Irish backpacker charged with assisting with the escape of asylum seekers from the Woomera Detention Centre last month has been handed a one-month jail sentence.

Jonathon Joseph O'Shea pleaded guilty to a charge of aiding and abetting over the break-out.

Magistrate Jonathon Harry acknowledged O'Shea was acting out of empathy with the detainees.

O'Shea has been in prison since the beginning of this month, and will be released on a good behaviour bond next week.

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/8583

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