update, FoxsportsAU.....
Jailed jockey home in three weeks
By Ray Thomas
August 31, 2007 JAILED Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Chris Munce will be escorted by two guards when he returns to Australia next month after a prisoner exchange deal was successfully negotiated with Hong Kong.
Sources confirmed that Munce will be home within "the next two to three weeks".
The deal between the Federal Government, the New South Wales Government and Hong Kong authorities was finalised recently and Munce is likely to serve the remainder of his sentence in a NSW minimum-security prison.
The only stumbling block was who would foot the bill for two NSW Correctional Services Officers required to be flown to Hong Kong and escort Munce back to Sydney.
The Iemma Government baulked at the estimated $10,000 cost as it felt taxpayers should not have to pay for Munce's prisoner exchange.
It is believed Munce's wife, Cathy, subsequently raised the necessary funds and has forwarded payment.
Munce, the 37-year-old Sydney father of three young children, has been held in a Hong Kong prison since March, sentenced to 30 months for his involvement in a tips-for-bets scam after a Hong Kong ICAC investigation.
Federal Justice and Customs Minister Senator David Johnston and NSW Justice Minister John Hatzistergos successfully negotiated Munce's prisoner transfer deal.
Australia has a bilateral treaty with Hong Kong for the transfer of sentenced persons, which entered into force in Australia in April last year.
Hatzistergos said last month he was influenced in making a decision in Munce's favour as he believed the jockey had more chance of rehabilitation if allowed to serve the rest of his jail term closer to family in Australia.
"Prisoners are more likely to be rehabilitated when they can serve out the remainder of their sentence supported by their family and friends," Hatzistergos said.
"These considerations are especially apparent in this case."
There has been a lot of sympathy for Munce and his family since the jockey was sentenced in Hong Kong.
In most racing jurisdictions around the world, Munce's actions would be interpreted as a breach of racing law and would not have been tried in a civil court. Prosecutors claimed during the trial that Munce provided tips to Hong Kong businessman Andy Lau 17 times covering races involving 29 horses from December 2005 to May 2006.
|