Tony Mokbel's nephew fights jail sentence for guns, drugs and driving
Tony Mokbel's nephew is trying to overturn his eight-month jail sentence for gun, drug and driving offences.
Anthony Mokbel, 24, the son of the drug kingpin's brother Horty, was last year jailed and fined $1000 for possessing a loaded revolver and cannabis as well as driving while suspended.
Anthony Mokbel arrives at court on Thursday.Credit:AAP
In the County Court of Victoria on Thursday, Anthony Mokbel's lawyer failed to get Judge Michael Tinney to recuse himself from the appeal.
Barrister Lee Ristivojevic made the application on the grounds that Judge Tinney's brother and fellow judge, Andrew Tinney, had been involved in cases against other members of the Mokbel family.
Ms Ristivojevic said it was about Michael Tinney's perceived impartiality but the judge disagreed and dismissed the application.
"What's that in any way got to do with me?" Judge Tinney said.
"It strikes me as a pretty extraordinary application and I don't think there's any merit in it at all."
Anthony Mokbel was jailed after admitting to possessing a .32-calibre revolver, found by police in his suburban Melbourne bedroom.
He was also caught with a small amount of cannabis and drove to work multiple times while suspended.
Immediately after he was jailed, Mokbel launched an appeal and was granted bail in the meantime.
Ms Ristivojevic told the County Court her client's arrest in October proved to be "the sense of clarity he needed".
Mokbel wanted to stay out of jail so he could keep providing financially for his family and had only bought the gun for protection following "inflammatory" media reporting.
"Why media are here [at his appeal] beggars belief. It's simply the family name," his barrister said.
She asked Mokbel be given a community correction order instead of a jail term.
AAP