Zac Grieve received the harshest punishment of all offenders: twenty years in prison without parole. In his case, the combination of complicity laws and mandatory sentencing laws caused unbalanced, unequal justice.
The judge stated that if it were not for the existence of a mandatory minimum sentence, a 12-year non-parole period would have been imposed.
Grieve appealed against both his conviction and sentence, but appeals were dismissed.
In December 2018, Grieve received a letter from the Administrator of the Northern Territory informing him that the prerogative of mercy was being exercised in his favour. His non-parole period would be reduced from the statutory minimum of twenty years to twelve years. This
decision could only be made because a Petition for Mercy was submitted.
Comments