Former Rugby League Star Avoids Jail Time for Drug Offences
A former rugby league player, recently released from prison for attempting to smuggle cocaine, has been spared a return to jail for drug offences dating back a decade. John Tobin, 66, a former Sydney Roosters skipper, walked out of the Brisbane Supreme Court today after pleading guilty to multiple drug-related crimes in 2014.
Tobin, who played 125 games for the Sydney Roosters in the 1980s, appeared in court after being paroled from a New South Wales prison in June, following an extended jail term. He had served eight and a half years for his involvement in multiple attempts to import a total of 1.4 tonnes of cocaine into Australia by boat.
In a recent interview, Tobin attributed his actions to desperation, stating, 'Desperate men do desperate things.'
Today, Tobin pleaded guilty to nine charges, including drug supply and possession of 134 grams of cocaine, concealed in 220 grams of a substance. The offences took place in Queensland between May and October 2014, during which Tobin collected drugs at a BP service station, as revealed by Justice Rebecca Treston.
Police intercepted Tobin's electronic communications and raided his house, finding 134 grams of cocaine. The crown prosecutor, Erin Hanlon, highlighted that the most serious offence occurred in 2014 when Tobin agreed to hold a large quantity of dangerous drugs while his co-offender was abroad.
Despite being granted bail at the time, Tobin continued to participate in major cocaine smuggling attempts. He was present on two boat trips from Sydney, aiming to pick up drugs from container ships and 'narco-submarines' in South America. The syndicate sought to import cocaine in quantities up to 500kg, alongside 28kg of heroin.
In December 2016, Tobin and his co-offenders successfully took possession of 500 packages of cocaine during a third attempt. However, he denied being a ringleader, stating, 'I wasn't a ringleader. Just another f***wit on the boat.'
Tobin was arrested on Christmas Day 2016 after police intercepted the group offloading duffel bags filled with drugs at a Sydney harbour boat ramp.
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