An Irish national who was caught trying to enter Australia with a fake passport and placed into immigration detention before escaping by tying bedsheets together and scaling down the side of a building has been sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment.
The man, 26, was sentenced today (4 September, 2025) in the Brisbane District Court and faces a non-parole period of four months' imprisonment.
His imprisonment will be backdated 34 days to reflect the time already spent in custody.
The man pleaded guilty on 15 August, 2025, to:
- One count of providing false documents and false or misleading information etc. relating to non-citizens, contrary to section 234 of the Migration Act 1958 (Cth); and
- One count of escaping from detention, contrary to section 197A of the Migration Act 1958 (Cth).
On 13 March, 2025, the man arrived in Brisbane on an international flight and was detained after he presented a counterfeit United Kingdom passport to Australian Border Force.
Two days later he escaped from immigration detention by tying bedsheets together and scaling down the side of a building.
New South Wales Police arrested the man in Sydney on 31 July, 2025, and he was subsequently extradited to Queensland.
AFP Detective Superintendent Anthony Conway said the man's sentencing marked the final phase of a period of hard work by AFP members and NSW Police partners to bring the man to justice.
"AFP members worked tirelessly to track the offender down to prevent any harm to the Australian community," Det Supt Conway said.
"He committed serious offences by entering Australia with a fake passport and escaping from immigration detention."
