Matthew Norman, a former member of the Bali Nine, has dodged penalties related to a joyriding incident involving a stolen vehicle that occurred prior to his departure from Australia. Having served almost two decades in Bali’s Kerobokan Prison for attempted heroin trafficking, Norman, now 38, returned to Australia where he was charged for the 2005 offence at the Waverley Local Court in Sydney.
During court proceedings, Norman pleaded guilty, but the magistrate, Michael Barko, decided to dismiss the charge without recording a conviction. He expressed that it was not beneficial to punish Norman after such a significant time had lapsed since the offence and acknowledged the unusual length of time an arrest warrant had been outstanding.
Barko highlighted that typically law enforcement would apply to revoke an old warrant under such circumstances, noting, “It’s now been 20 years since the offence was committed.” However, he clarified he did not factor in Norman’s extensive incarceration in Indonesia when addressing the current charge. “You do the crime, you do the time,” he stated, indicating the differing jurisdictions’ policies on sentencing.
Notably, fellow Bali Nine member Renae Lawrence, who was behind the wheel during the incident in question, received a fine after her own release in 2018. The court had been informed that both Lawrence and Norman were apprehended while in the stolen car, which had repeatedly tried to evade police by failing to stop and attempting to flee on foot after their vehicle was halted using police spike strips.
At the time of the original charge, Norman was unable to appear in court due to already being detained in Indonesia. The magistrate remarked that the Australian public is aware of the reasons for his absence. Upon his release from an Indonesian prison in December, he faced charges for the joyriding incident less than a month after returning to Australia.
The court noted that Norman had no prior criminal record in Australia. His imprisonment saw the execution of two key leaders of the Bali Nine, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, in 2015. Following their release, discussions regarding the conditions surrounding the remaining prisoners’ release took place between the Australian and Indonesian governments, which culminated in December deals. However, the remaining five prisoners, including Norman, have not been pardoned and are prohibited from re-entering Indonesia.