An Irish national who helped a shadowy international syndicate in a bid to smuggle an alleged fugitive drug trafficker out of Australia via a remote Northern Territory town has pleaded guilty to his role in the million-dollar plot.
Stephen Frances Roche this week pleaded guilty in the NT Supreme Court to attempting to pervert the course of justice, after depositing Hussein Chamas on a Nhulunbuy beach where he was picked up by boat last year.
Court documents released to the ABC detail the scheme to get Mr Chamas out of the country after he fled his NSW bail accommodation in January.
Mr Chamas was on conditional release ahead of his upcoming trial on charges relating to an alleged conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of methamphetamine.
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The documents allege Mr Chamas allegedly began making plans to evade justice through the “international syndicate” in exchange for $1 million, after his arrest on the drug charges in 2023.
“Operation HARRAKIS is an investigation into an organised criminal group who made arrangements to facilitate the covert removal of individuals from Australia who were the subject of ongoing criminal prosecution,” the documents read.
“The investigation identified a complex syndicate who operated covertly across multiple countries.
“The syndicate members responsible for arranging the transport of CHAMAS from Australia referred to him as ‘the VIP’.”
The documents show in January last year, Roche rented a white campervan in Sydney, which he used to pick Mr Chamas up after he talked his way out of his bail accommodation, and drove him to Arnhem Land.
The documents reveal that on January 25, an NT-based Australian Border Force (ABF) officer spotted a yacht anchored offshore near East Woody Beach with a smaller, blue inflatable boat on board.
“She observed CHAMAS pretending to fish, holding a fishing rod with no fishing line,” the documents read.
“As the ABF officer left the beach, she observed CHAMAS use a torch to flash a light towards the yacht, following which a person on board the yacht flashed a light toward the beach.“
The documents allege that later that day, German national Thomas Goertz collected Mr Chamas from the shore in the inflatable boat while his partner, UK citizen Jade Siu Ying Ormiston, took charge of the yacht.
Hussein Chamas was extradited to NSW after his alleged escape plan was foiled. (Supplied: Australian Federal Police )
Once all three were back on board the SV Coconuts, the yacht set sail north, heading out of Australian waters.
It was intercepted by the ABF two days later and Mr Chamas was arrested.
Mr Goertz and Ms Ormiston were also later charged and faced court over their involvement in the enterprise. However they are yet to enter pleas.
Stranded ‘in the middle of f***ing nowhere’
At the same time, the documents show Roche was communicating with syndicate members using the codenames “Penfold” and “endangered species”, complaining about his mounting expenses after the van broke down during the trip.
“F***ing nightmare to be left like this,” he wrote.
“Madness to not plan a more smother [sic] process.
“Also I have to pay for the extra and stay here at the caravan park. And pay for the part to fix the caravan. And the mechanic to do it if he ever shows up wit [sic] the part to do it.
“I have been given money to cover this but it’s getting blown out by the day.”
Stephen Roche found himself stranded in the remote Arnhem Land town of Nhulunbuy for almost a week after dropping “the VIP” on the beach. (ABC News: Dane Hirst)
By January 27, Roche told his handler he was “close to just f***ing off”.
“This will ruin me having the caravan under my name, standed [sic] here in the middle of f***ing nowhere,” he wrote.
“I might be overreacting, but it’s not how it should have gone. And it was all caused by VIP taking over and dictating the plan.”
In another conversation with a separate syndicate member, codenamed “Dangermouse”, later that day, Roche grumbles about Mr Chamas also complaining “about how much it was all costing him towards the end”.
Court documents reveal Stephen Roche was left empty handed for his efforts. (ABC News: Matt Garrick)
“I couldn’t give a f*** what he’s complaing [sic] about,” Dangermouse replied.
“He won’t be complaining when he’s free and bangijgva [sic] few birds and drinking a few beers free as a bird. That’s just life.
“Brother please trust my words I am the boss here. You will not love loose [sic] a penny you will not he [sic] ripped of [sic].
“Everything thqts [sic] offered cost and monetary valued will be paid.”
Police eventually caught up with Roche, still stuck in Nhulunbuy, on February 2 and arrested him before he could receive a promised payment of $30,000 for his trouble.
Defence lawyer points to ‘nexus’ in poor mental health and offending
Defence lawyer Ian Rowbottam told the court Roche was at a low point psychologically at the time of his offending due to a pre-existing, serious workplace injury.
Ian Rowbottam said his client was struggling with his mental health at the time of his offending. (ABC News: Matt Garrick)
“As a result of his injury he found himself out of work, in effect,” he said.
“[He] lost his house, his relationship.
“These offences occurred at a significantly low time mentally, when he was struggling significantly with issues of mental health, on top of the family breakdown.”
“We say there will be a direct nexus able to be found with his mental health at the time of his agreeing to participate in this enterprise.”
Roche will return to court for sentencing on September 28.
