A US woman who was duped into importing cocaine into Australia has had her sentence reduced and could be released as early as next year.
Denise Marie Woodrum had her sentence reduced on appeal by NSW Supreme Court Justices Fabian Gleeson, Ian Harrison and Richard Cavanagh after it was found it was "unreasonable and plainly unjust".
Woodrum pleaded guilty to importing a marketable quantity of cocaine after Australian Border Force found traces of the drug when she landed at Sydney airport in August 2017.
She asked officials at the airport: "How much did they put in the shoes?"
The devoutly religious woman, who was 50 at the time of the offence, was in 2018 sentenced by NSW District Court Judge Penelope Wass to seven-and-a-half years jail with a non-parole period of four-and-a-half years.
However her sentence was quashed on appeal and she was jailed for a maximum of five years with a non-parole period of three years.
With time served, she could be out of prison on August 3, 2020.
"In my opinion, the sentence imposed upon Ms Woodrum was unreasonable and plainly unjust," Justice Harrison said in his judgment.
Woodrum was duped into importing 1kg of powder, which contained 756g of pure cocaine, in her luggage after meeting a man who gave his name as "Hendrik Cornelius" online.
The pair exchanged hundreds of messages between April and August 2017 and professed their love for each other, despite having never met face to face.
In one text to "Hendrik" in July 2017, she professed: "I want to be together always no matter what "family first". You are my Only and First true Family!!! All My Love Darling. Sweet Dreams!"
Woodrum was forced into bankruptcy after she loaned "Hendrik" money because he said his son was in a coma following a car crash in Dubai.
As a result he "pulled" her into bringing "museum clothes" into Australia and another man known as "Vincent" gave her one bag of luggage and put extra pieces into her personal bag.
She asked "Hendrick" whether there were drugs in the luggage, which he denied.
Justice Harrison said she was guilty of "stunning naivete" but had no role in the planning of the crime.
"The deception practised upon Ms Woodrum is clear and significant," Justice Harrison said.
"It importantly informs the assessment of her moral culpability."
Australian Associated Press
