Home And Away star caught in drug bust

[Red Ranger 1]

Wasn't sure about commenting on this but a lot of other people have said it as well so:Assuming we're being told the full story here, that comes across as pure nepotism, to use the word loosely.Imagine if, say, a brick layer had gone to the appeal court and said "I want to work in America and I can't while I'm under bond."Would a judge really have said "Oh, okay, we'll let you off"?It's not as if he couldn't have applied ever, he should have been a man about it and waited twelve months.

[-Kevin-]

I think this is really just disgraceful, on both Todd's part and whatever judge just let him off. Todd got off extremely lightly with the 12 month good behaviour bond but no that wasn't good enough for him , he wanted to worm his way out of it like a coward instead of taking his punishment like a man. Any shred of respect I had left for him after the drugs incident is gone after this.

I agree Red Ranger, if a bricklayer appealed then he wouldn't have been given a reprieve he would have been laughed out of court more like. Just because Todd is somewhat of a celebrity he gets off completely scot free. The legal system here seems to be completely rubbish and the double standards is appalling.

[Symphony]

Agree with Anaya.

Look at all the non celebrities that get away with appeals on much bigger cases, or get let out of jail early for 'good behaviour' even though like 3 years previous they murdered an innocent child or what not. They're the ones that would be more inclined to get me hot and bothered...

Hopefully T won't go near drugs in the states -fingers crossed- it's very exciting that he's going to go ahead with his plans now Well, for me at least, being a fan

[Nataliakesfan]

I, personally, think his initial 12 month good behaviour bond was quite a fair punishment. And pretty much he got lucky with that. So really he should have just seen out the sentence. That said he's entitled to appeal, and he's not the first guy (famous or otherwise) to appeal a sentence & win.

People are quick to jump on the fact that he's famous & that must be the reason that he got 'let off'. Lots of offenders (even for such minor sentences) win appeals and they are neither famous or advantaged by an apparent seperate set of rules, yet have still 'gotten away with it'. They all present a case and a judge will take all reasoning in to account when reviewing the appeal. We just don't hear about it. Yes, the court dealings are made public but your average 'normal' person won't make news with it, especially for something so minor.

Just because he appealed a sentence & won doesn't automatically mean he thinks he's better than everyone & is not taking responsibility for his actions.

I have to disagree with you there. If he was taking responsibility for his actions he wouldn't have appealed an already light sentence. Like the judge said during the first trial, It's all about him, he wants to make it big in the US NOW so he appeals and expects the legal system to make an exception for him. I was already disappointed in him but this has made it worse. I'm sorry to use faul language but he's a tool.

[emmasi]

Wasn't sure about commenting on this but a lot of other people have said it as well so:Assuming we're being told the full story here, that comes across as pure nepotism, to use the word loosely.Imagine if, say, a brick layer had gone to the appeal court and said "I want to work in America and I can't while I'm under bond."Would a judge really have said "Oh, okay, we'll let you off"?It's not as if he couldn't have applied ever, he should have been a man about it and waited twelve months.

A brick-layer doesn't have to depend on his boyish good-looks to get work. Celebrity status usually has a short shelf-life. Todd could have waited, but it wouldn't have been wise for him to do so. He's famous now and he needs to still be famous when he gets to the US to get his foot in the door. Not some random guy who used to be on a soap a year and a half ago.

I also agree with Anaya. We're just assuming he got off because he's famous. Which is part-and-parcel of the tall poppy syndrome - if someone is more successful than you, you must want to see them brought down in the harshest way possible. Isn't all the negative media attention defaming him enough? What brick-layer would get that?? And perhaps a brick-layer who could prove that he has serious employment prospects lined up in the US would also have the charges overturned, if the judge was convinced that he understood how lucky he was to be given a second chance, and was obviously willing to return to being a productive member of society.

Where is the justice you all ask? Where is the justice in assuming the worst about a perfect stranger just because he's famous? Where is the justice in letting a young man's life be destroyed because the law hates a casual drug-user but loves a drunk who pays their alchopop taxes? Where is the justice in assuming that anyone here has more knowledge and experience of the legal system than the judge who made this decision? Where is the justice in wanting Todd to hang because he's a celebrity but wanting old bricky to get a free pass and pat on the back because he's one of us lowly mortals?

I'll tell you, there IS no justice. And you know what? This isn't even any of our business. Except for the fact that now that he has been given the chance to find work in the US, he might land some movie roles and resume entertaining us all. Unless you're planning to boycott all of his projects from now on because he's such an evil soulless bastard, who is laughing it up in his mansion about how awesome he is for cheating the system, screwing all us regular folks out of our shining concept of "justice", and doing lines of coke off a hooker's stomach just to flaunt the law a little more... Oh no, wait, that can't be right because you're all still watching H&A aren't you? Hmm... how confusing!

For god's sake people, he had less than a gram of drugs on him. He hasn't gotten away with murder. Get on with your lives and let him get on with his.

[Mistified]

^ Emmasi's last point here is pertinent. This was someone who had a personal supply for personal use; he wasn't a dealer or didn't have sufficient quantities to suggest an intent to supply. A slap on the wrists and a fine is what he would have got in Ireland, the idea being that it should teach him a lesson. If he appeared before the same judge, or indeed any judge again oon a similar charge well then he would have "the book thrown at him" as they say. This mechanism is an important part of the justice system as upstanding contributors to society are treated justly and the seriousness of their crime is commensurate to the punishment.

Believe me, for someone like Todd the whole incident and the coverage of it should be sufficient punishment enough. There would be nothing to be gained by anyone if this was to cause any more trouble for his career. He got his comeuppance and has hopefully copped on.

[Anaya]

Just because he appealed a sentence & won doesn't automatically mean he thinks he's better than everyone & is not taking responsibility for his actions.

I have to disagree with you there. If he was taking responsibility for his actions he wouldn't have appealed an already light sentence.

I simply said just because a person (celebrity or otherwise) appeals a light sentence for a minor offence, so that they can then be able to apply for a visa to work in another country, does not automatically mean they are not taking responsibility for their actions. I don't see it as Todd having a problem with his sentencing, which like I said in my original post seemed fair to begin with. He just wants to be able to apply for a US visa for future employment prospects and he presented that appeal in court & won.

If appealing a light sentencing for a minor offence is deemed so damn irresponsible, why is that option available within the law in the first place?

Like has already been said in this thread, any person from any profession, bricklayer, doctor, celebrity, is able to appeal a sentencing, and should they present sufficient evidence & reasoning to support a quashing of a sentence then they would also win an appeal. If a brick layer presented to a judge enough reasoning for why it is important for him to obtain a US visa straightaway for employment purposes, I'm sure his circumstances could lead to a win. As would be the case for a Doctor say who was also under a good behaviour bond, but had an opportunity for specialist training abroad or a unique job opportunity within the US, but not being able to apply for a US visa was not allowing him to take up that opportunity. I'm sure he would take the option of an appeal and then may go on to win. We just don't hear about it as it just wouldn't be plastered all over the news, for such a minor offence, unless of course they're a famous builder/doctor.

It's not about a celebrity 'getting away with it' because they are above everyone else. A judge take individual circumstances in to consideration for any person, regardless of profession. I'm sure lots of bricklayers have appealed sentences & won and at the same time lots of celebs will have appealed a sentence & lost.

[Nataliakesfan]

Just because he appealed a sentence & won doesn't automatically mean he thinks he's better than everyone & is not taking responsibility for his actions.

I have to disagree with you there. If he was taking responsibility for his actions he wouldn't have appealed an already light sentence.

I simply said just because a person (celebrity or otherwise) appeals a light sentence for a minor offence, so that they can then be able to apply for a visa to work in another country, does not automatically mean they are not taking responsibility for their actions. I don't see it as Todd having a problem with his sentencing, which like I said in my original post seemed fair to begin with. He just wants to be able to apply for a US visa for future employment prospects and he presented that appeal in court & won.

If appealing a light sentencing for a minor offence is deemed so damn irresponsible, why is that option available within the law in the first place?

Like has already been said in this thread, any person from any profession, bricklayer, doctor, celebrity, is able to appeal a sentencing, and should they present sufficient evidence & reasoning to support a quashing of a sentence then they would also win an appeal. If a brick layer presented to a judge enough reasoning for why it is important for him to obtain a US visa straightaway for employment purposes, I'm sure his circumstances could lead to a win. As would be the case for a Doctor say who was also under a good behaviour bond, but had an opportunity for specialist training abroad or a unique job opportunity within the US, but not being able to apply for a US visa was not allowing him to take up that opportunity. I'm sure he would take the option of an appeal and then may go on to win. We just don't hear about it as it just wouldn't be plastered all over the news, for such a minor offence, unless of course they're a famous builder/doctor.

It's not about a celebrity 'getting away with it' because they are above everyone else. A judge take individual circumstances in to consideration for any person, regardless of profession. I'm sure lots of bricklayers have appealed sentences & won and at the same time lots of celebs will have appealed a sentence & lost.

First of all, the fact that appealing a light sentence is an option by law doesn't mean Todd is not walking away from his responsibilities by doing so.

Everyone has an option to appeal but that doesn't mean it's alway morally right to do so.

Second, if he didn't have a problem with his sentencing he would not have appealed.

Fact is he got off very lightly in the first place and waiting a year would not have harmed him.

It's not like he couldn't work in Australia in the mean time, stay famous and then go to the US.

If he felt any remorse for what he did he would have just sucked it up and sat his sentence out.

He did the wrong thing and if you get caught doing so the least you can do is suffer the consequences.

He hasn't learned anything from this at all.

That said everyone is entitled to their opinion but I just don't think the 'individual circumstances' in this case are a reason to completely drop the bond that would have disappeared after a year anyway.

[matticus01]

I dont think Todd isn't taking responsibility for his actions. If he gave a good enough reasoning of why the sentence should have been dropped, then the judge does take all cases into consideration, whether or not its for drugs, DUI's, driving without a license etc.

The fact is, I personally think Todd is taking responsibility but I'm not going to judge him on that. I think out of everything Todd got more press and more articles written about him for just possessing cocaine as apposed to Jodi Gordon being found cowering in a bikies bedroom after going on a cocaine binge.... but no one seems to be judging her quite so harshly. (not judging, passing my voice of opinion)

The fact is, people have different opinions on different matters, none of us know if he had taken it, was going to sell it or was holding it for someone else but we have no right to judge him when we dont even have half the facts.

And like Anaya said, whether or not your a doctor, brick layer or if your famous, the judge wouldn't have given him a lighter sentence because of it!

[bikinikill]

I want to go to the US at the end of the year to follow up awesome career oportunities. Why should I be treated different to him if I was caught with that much cocaine, and you know I would. He screwed up, so he has suffered a dent in how people view him, that is NOT punishment. The fact that he got off because he wants to follow his career, thats not a good enough excuse. He did the crime, why isn't he paying any time???