A Polish cocaine smuggler who escaped from the Mannus correctional centre near Tumbarumba nearly two years ago has pleaded guilty.
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Artur Jerzey Woljcik initially admitted in Albury Local Court to a charge laid over the escape in early April, 2016.
But that charge was withdrawn and a new Commonwealth charge of escaping from lawful custody was laid this week.
That was when he fronted the court via a video link to Bathurst jail.
But because Woljcik did not have a lawyer present for the hearing, magistrate Imad Abdul-Karim adjourned the matter for a couple of hours. He was then represented by solicitor Sue Robey.
A Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecution outline of the case was put before the court, but Mr Abdul-Karim said this would be replaced by an agreed statement of facts in time for Woljcik’s sentencing in the District Court.
It is understood that part of the reason why Woljcik escaped custody was because he feared his eventual extradition to Poland to face serious criminal charges.
Woljcik was sentenced in September, 2011, to a maximum of 10 years and eight months in jail for drug importation.
He was found with three kilograms of pure cocaine with a wholesale value of almost $700,000 on being searched after getting off a flight at Sydney International Airport from Argentina in October, 2009.
While he is a Polish citizen, Woljcik had been living in Bolivia for several years.
The CDPP annual report for 2011-12 says Woljcik claimed he and his 18-year-old daughter had been abducted by a group of men in Bolivia and held captive for more than a month.
“He claimed that whilst his daughter was held captive in Bolivia, he was forced to travel to Peru to attempt to obtain a visa for travel to Australia and he was then forced to travel to Australia with the suitcase containing the drugs,” the report says.
This account was rejected by the court in sentencing.
Wojcik had been last seen at Mannus about 5.30pm on a Thursday and could not be found at a 7.30am muster.
He will be sentenced at the Downing Centre in Sydney on January 19.