Loyal mate's jail term cut in coke case

Biomedical scientist Klyde O'Shaughnessy will be eligible for release in November after his jail term was cut by 40 per cent this week.

He successfully argued his sentence for attempting to possess 5.4kg of cocaine in November 2017 was manifestly excessive, given he had no idea of the plan until he met with his friend the day they were both arrested in Sydney.

The friend, James Lindsay Willesee, arranged for the delivery of two drive shafts to Pymble Golf Club and then took them to his Freshwater home.

Not long after, police watched O'Shaughnessy arrive at the home and accompany Willesee to Bunnings, where they bought earplugs, goggles, an angle grinder and other parts.

The pair then entered Willesee's garage, sliced open the drive shafts and removed the cocaine.

While Willesee was motivated by a gambling debt, there was no evidence O'Shaughnessy received any financial benefit and was not involved in any planning, the Court of Criminal Appeal said on Monday.

He also had no previous criminal record and pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

"It is difficult to imagine in the present case that Mr O'Shaughnessy could have done much less as an active participant in the crime than the acts he performed," Justice Ian Harrison said.

"He incautiously assisted Mr Willesee by providing the physical means to get access to what was inside the drive shafts."

Justice Harrison said it was unclear why Willesee couldn't act alone and noted O'Shaughnessy's own assessment that his reckless conduct was due to "loyalty".

After ruling the original sentence of District Court Judge Robyn Tupman was "unreasonable and plainly unjust", the appeal judges re-sentenced O'Shaughnessy to four years.

His non-parole period was cut by a year, meaning he's eligible for release on parole in November.

Australian Associated Press