A PROMINENT horse racing and polo identity has been jailed for almost a decade for her involvement in plans to ship hundreds of kilograms of cocaine into Australia.
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Felicity Fraser, and her elderly parents, wept in Newcastle District Court on Friday when she was sentenced to nine-and-a-half years behind bars, with five years and six months non-parole.
The term was discounted by 33 per cent, and with time already served, she will be eligible for release in August 2027.
Fraser had pleaded guilty to conspiring to import a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, which carries a maximum penalty of life in jail.
The 44-year-old worked in an administrative role for her boss, co-offender Peter Leslie Ritson, for a company attempting to bring in shipments of cocaine from South America between 2017 and 2021.
The court heard Fraser had been vulnerable when Ritson, who she worked with at an equine trucking company, offered her a job.
Judge Peter McGrath said Fraser had split with her solicitor husband and was worried about feeding her horses in the drought.
"I cannot think of a more unlikely person to be sentenced for involvement in such an offence," he said of Fraser.
Judge McGrath said even Fraser and her parents struggled to explain why she stayed involved in the plot when she realised the freight company was a front for drug importation.
"When this became apparent soon enough ... she naively but willingly joined [Ritson] in his plans and remained involved with the hope of financial reward," he said.
Fraser was given some credit for withdrawing from the conspiracy, though financial reasons underpinned the decision.
"That is, when it was clear to here there was not going to be a payday," Judge McGrath said.
Three shipping containers arrived in Australia while Fraser was working for the freight company - with promises of between 100kg and 250kg of cocaine in each of them - but none contained drugs.
Planning for a fourth shipment was delayed by COVID-19 and never arrived.
Judge McGrath said he wondered whether there was any cocaine behind the conspiracy, though the point was that Fraser "expected there to be large quantities of cocaine, and expected there to be a financial gain".
The court heard Fraser had told someone during the conspiracy that there would be money in time for a good Christmas and to "buy some bloody plane tickets".
Judge McGrath said Fraser did not have a top role and only took home about $10,000 a year in wages, but she carried out tasks willingly and sometimes with her own initiative.
She "rolled up her sleeves" and helped Ritson rip apart a shipping container of Ecuadorian teak wood with an axe and saw searching for cocaine, the court heard.
When no drugs were found in one shipment, Fraser used her own Facebook account to advertise teak wood for sale.
The court heard Fraser had lived a sheltered life and had expressed naivety about cocaine - believing it to be a relatively harmless "party drug" used by the wealthy.
"Such an attitude is not ... uncommon in our society," Judge McGrath said.
"She describes her self as someone who has never so much as tried a cigarette."
He said gossip columns in newspapers featured stories of "wines and lines parties" in the eastern suburbs and had been associated with influencers and football players.
The court heard Fraser had written a letter of genuine remorse to the court, now understood cocaine could ruin lives, and was helping other women in custody.
Personal references described her as "generous, fair and loyal" and a "decent country person" who would go out of her way to help others.
The court previously heard of medical conditions she suffered and specialist reports were tendered.
Judge McGrath said custody would be onerous on Fraser and her family, and the "public humiliation" she had exposed herself to made her unlikely to offend again.
He said the sentence must deter the community from becoming involved in drug plots.
"There is great harm that can be done by the importation into and distribution throughout Australia of border controlled drugs," he said.
Fraser made full admissions after her arrest in February 2022, and has been in custody since.
Ritson remains before the court.
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Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald. Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald. Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au
