Australian pilot convicted for transporting cocaine in Papua New Guinea plans appeal

Cutmore's Cessna crashed on take-off at an old airstrip outside Port Moresby in 2020, carrying over 500kg of cocaine bound for Australia. Photo / Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary

By RNZ

Australian pilot John David Cutmore, who was convicted last year in Papua New Guinea for transporting cocaine into the country, hopes his appeal over his conviction will be held on October 3.

Cutmore - linked to the biggest drug bust in Papua New Guinea - was jailed for 18 years in October 2022 after “pleading guilty to charges relating to money laundering by receiving cocaine”.

He has spent 10 months in the Bomana jail.

The Post Courier newspaper reports he is trying to obtain a court transcript from the National Court registry to assist his appeal.

Cutmore, 58, had pleaded guilty to transporting more than half a tonne of cocaine when he crash-landed in Lealea village in Central Province three years ago.

The cocaine had a street value of 349 million kina ($160m).

Cutmore is claiming his 18-year jail term is excessive and that his serious medical condition should warrant a much lower sentence, the newspaper reported.

He was granted leave last month to appeal by Justice David Cannings, who said this was a “first of its kind” case with insufficient case references on which to make a decision on sentence, and therefore an appeal is necessary.

In agreeing with Cutmore’s statement, Justice Cannings also said the sentence was “excessive and had to be checked”.

- RNZ