Koby Free to Surf The Worlds Biggest Waves
18/05/06 12:17
Koby
toasts freedom
Daily Telegraph Sydney By NICOLETTE CASELLA
March 11, 2006
AS he walked through the doors of the Maroubra Bay Hotel at lunchtime yesterday, the pub erupted into raucous applause.
Having escaped a jail term, it was life back to normal for Koby Abberton after almost three years of "hell".
Surfing's big wave star celebrated the only way he could imagine – knocking back beers with his beloved brothers and 'Bra Boys on home turf.
With a middy thrust in his hand, Abberton pulled off his tie and undid the top button of his shirt, exposing the famous tattoo emblazoned on his chest: "My Brother's Keeper".
It is a motto Abberton and his band of "brothers" take seriously.
Just two hours before, Abberton, 27, awaited sentence in the District Court for lying to police to protect his older brother Jai, who at the time was charged with murdering standover man Tony Hines.
Abberton faced up to 14 years jail but was instead given a nine-month suspended sentence, meaning he will not spend a day behind bars as long as he stays on the right side of the law.
While acting Judge Brian Boulton stressed the seriousness of the crime, he said Abberton had been "dumped into these appalling circumstances by the foolishness" of Jai.
"One wonders at the extent of your misfortune," he said.
"You had gone to bed, oblivious of matters that were unfolding. You were awoken to find Jai and (his girlfriend) covered in blood and hysterical."
Jai was later acquitted after a jury found he acted in self defence.
Abberton had claimed he was asleep and never spoke to Jai that night in August 2003, when his brother returned home covered in blood and borrowed his car to dump his clothes and a gun.
Judge Boulton expressed his sympathy for Abberton's situation. He said he did not believe Abberton intended to "concoct a spurious set of circumstances" but he reprimanded Abberton for undermining the law.
"You were not a child," he said.
"You knew full well you did not have to answer (questions from police) at all. You knew how serious the matter was but you nonetheless chose to mislead the police."
The judge took into account Abberton's standing in the community and credited him for overcoming his troubled upbringing.
The court had heard Abberton had been forced to put his house on the market and that his cars had been re-possessed after losing an estimated $1 million contract with surf giant Oakley over his conviction.
Daily Telegraph Sydney By NICOLETTE CASELLA
March 11, 2006
AS he walked through the doors of the Maroubra Bay Hotel at lunchtime yesterday, the pub erupted into raucous applause.
Having escaped a jail term, it was life back to normal for Koby Abberton after almost three years of "hell".
Surfing's big wave star celebrated the only way he could imagine – knocking back beers with his beloved brothers and 'Bra Boys on home turf.
With a middy thrust in his hand, Abberton pulled off his tie and undid the top button of his shirt, exposing the famous tattoo emblazoned on his chest: "My Brother's Keeper".
It is a motto Abberton and his band of "brothers" take seriously.
Just two hours before, Abberton, 27, awaited sentence in the District Court for lying to police to protect his older brother Jai, who at the time was charged with murdering standover man Tony Hines.
Abberton faced up to 14 years jail but was instead given a nine-month suspended sentence, meaning he will not spend a day behind bars as long as he stays on the right side of the law.
While acting Judge Brian Boulton stressed the seriousness of the crime, he said Abberton had been "dumped into these appalling circumstances by the foolishness" of Jai.
"One wonders at the extent of your misfortune," he said.
"You had gone to bed, oblivious of matters that were unfolding. You were awoken to find Jai and (his girlfriend) covered in blood and hysterical."
Jai was later acquitted after a jury found he acted in self defence.
Abberton had claimed he was asleep and never spoke to Jai that night in August 2003, when his brother returned home covered in blood and borrowed his car to dump his clothes and a gun.
Judge Boulton expressed his sympathy for Abberton's situation. He said he did not believe Abberton intended to "concoct a spurious set of circumstances" but he reprimanded Abberton for undermining the law.
"You were not a child," he said.
"You knew full well you did not have to answer (questions from police) at all. You knew how serious the matter was but you nonetheless chose to mislead the police."
The judge took into account Abberton's standing in the community and credited him for overcoming his troubled upbringing.
The court had heard Abberton had been forced to put his house on the market and that his cars had been re-possessed after losing an estimated $1 million contract with surf giant Oakley over his conviction.