An Irishman is facing up to 10 years in jail in Australia after pleading guilty to helping more than 35 asylum-seekers escape from a detention centre there.
Mr Jonathan Joseph O'Shea (22), Carrigaline, Co Cork, pleaded guilty yesterday to aiding and abetting the escape of the asylum-seekers from a compulsory detention centre in Woomera, South Australia, on June 29th.
Mr O'Shea, who had been backpacking around Australia on a one-year working holiday visa, appeared at the Port Augusta Magistrates Court, about 70 miles south of Adelaide, just after 4 a.m. Irish time (11 a.m. local time) yesterday. He was remanded in custody for sentencing today.
His solicitor told the court that he was pleading guilty to the offence. However she asked the court not to jail her client, who has no previous convictions, and who is due to leave Australia when his visa runs out in a few months time.
However the crown prosecutor said that the offence was such that it required a stiff penalty, both to punish the offender and as a deterrent to other would-be criminals considering similar action.
The court was told that a police video showed Mr O'Shea holding a pair of wire-cutters and passing it to detainees inside the detention centre moments before the escape took place. He was one of about 200 demonstrators who attended a rally at the compound that day protesting at the compulsory detention of asylum-seekers.
Insp Des Bray confirmed that Mr O'Shea had been arrested and charged at a campsite in Port Augusta on July 2nd. In a court appearance on July 3rd, Mr O'Shea was refused bail, and has been in jail since.
He is the first person to be charged in connection with the breakout. However, nine Australians face similar court appearances in the coming days. Legal sources have speculated that the result of his case will set a precedent for how the other cases will be handled.
In all, 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 an international humanitarian outcry.
Australia's tough stand on illegal arrivals has been criticised by local and international human rights groups but has won wide support at home.
The Woomera centre is never far from the headlines either. About 100 asylum-seekers are continuing a hunger strike there in protest at their detention.