A prison escapee who turned himself in after 29 years in hiding on Sydney’s Northern Beaches will seek clemency for the crime that put him in jail.
Today, dressed in prison greens and appearing via video from Silverwater jail, Darko Desic pleaded guilty to escaping Grafton Prison in 1992.
Just over a fortnight ago, the 64-year-old handed himself in to police after 29 years flying under the radar.
He had been working cash jobs in Avalon before the coronavirus pandemic left him homeless.
At the time of his arrest, Desic told police he escaped prison because he didn’t want to be deported back to war-torn Yugoslavia.
Today Desic’s lawyer Paul McGirr revealed he’ll be seeking clemency for the original charge of cannabis cultivation, arguing his client is rehabilitated.
The sentence for escaping prison in the early ’90s was seven years but that legislation no longer exists.
“He’s struggling,” Mr McGirr said.
“He’s just humbled by the fact that there’s people out there that want to see him get out.
“The prison system is designed for rehabilitation, and he’s proven over 30 years he hasn’t reoffended, so what’s the purpose of locking him away again?”
His defence lawyer said Desic has work and accommodation lined up and has trained as a stonemason.
There is an online fundraiser which has raised money to help Desic rebuild his life if he is let out of prison.
