An Irish backpacker will walk free from a South Australian prison next week after serving just one week in jail for his part in the breakout of 35 refugees from a detention centre there.
Jonathan O'Shea (22), from Carrigaline in Co Cork, was sentenced to two months at a sitting of the Port Augusta Magistrates' Court yesterday morning.
However, the judge suspended one month and ordered that the second month be backdated to July 3rd. Judge Jonathon Harry said he believed the Irishman acted out of empathy with the plight of the refugees in breaking the law. He ordered that O'Shea be released on a two-year good behaviour bond.
There had been speculation that the graphic designer, who was travelling around Australia in a camper van on a one-year working holiday visa, could face up to 10 years in jail.
O'Shea pleaded guilty on Thursday to aiding and abetting the escape of 35 asylum-seekers from a detention centre in Woomera, near Adelaide, on June 29th. He had been remanded in custody for sentencing yesterday.
Following the sentencing O'Shea's solicitor, Ms Sherry Ryan, said both she and her client were delighted with the result. She expected he would be released by next Friday at the latest.
"Jonathan is ecstatic with the result. He has rung his parents in Ireland, and they are delighted. He will be going back to Ireland as soon as he is released," she said.
Unusually, O'Shea will not face deportation as the judge made no such order during his ruling. It is usual for foreigners before Australian courts to face deportation hearings if they are found guilty of crimes.
Australian media have speculated that the short sentence for O'Shea's crime may be an indication that the government did not want any more international attention focused on their policy of compulsory detention for refugees.
Australia's tough stand against illegal arrivals has been criticised by local and international human rights groups but has won wide support at home. The country has one of the toughest detention regimes among developed nations for illegal arrivals.
Some 35 asylum-seekers including two young Afghan boys escaped during the breakout. The boys' plight came to international attention when they walked into the British consulate in Melbourne and applied for asylum two weeks ago.
Alamdar and Muntazer Baktiari, aged 14 and 12, had their claim for asylum turned down and were returned to Woomera despite a huge international humanitarian outcry.
The Australian government has come in for national and international criticism for its forced detention of refugees.