OUR CASES THAT RECEIVED MEDIA ATTENTION
Deanna Tuma avoids jail over drug ring allegedly linked to Bassam Hamzy relative
A former Sydney childcare worker who fell into a drug ring allegedly involving Bassam Hamzy’s sister-in-law has avoided jail time.
Deanna Tuma, 26, appeared in Downing Centre District Court with the support of her large Palestinian-Australian family on Thursday after pleading guilty to drug supply over her role in the syndicate known as the City Boys.
Court documents state Tuma was a delivery driver in June last year for the operation, which supplied colour-coded balloons of heroin to addicts in some of Sydney’s most affluent eastern suburbs seven days a week.
Tuma, who had worked in childcare in Chester Hill and was addicted to gambling when she became involved, had previously told the court of her “very scary” experience in Lidcombe’s Mary Wade Correctional Centre while on remand from last August to March this year.
Solicitor Faddi Abbas and Tuma outside the Downing Centre on Thursday. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Dylan Coker
Deanna Tuma was arrested over a heroin syndicate called the City Boys. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Dylan Coker
“It’s not a pretty sight. I got threatened a lot in there because I was nice to everyone, nice to the guards,” she said.
“I’m very sorry for what I’ve done and what I’ve done wasn’t the right thing for the community and everyone else and what I put everyone through … it’s not right, drugs … harm other people.”
Judge Chris O’Brien sentenced Tuma to an intensive correction order for two years and eight months with a period of 12 months home detention.
The judge accepted Tuma, who was represented in court by defence barrister Matthew Breeze and solicitor Fadi Abbas, was a lower level player in the syndicate but he noted the “repetitious nature” of her offending.
Police allege Shasta Dale, 38, the sister-in-law of killer Bassam Hamzy, would receive orders from customers and forward their addresses onto drivers, operating a centralised phone number similar to a call centre from her Picnic Point home.
Dale is the de facto wife of Khaled Hamzy, whose brother founded the notorious gang Brothers 4 Life and is serving life for murder and drug dealing.
Khaled Hamzy has not been charged with anything to do with the alleged City Boys operation.
Dale is yet to enter pleas to multiple charges including knowingly directing the activities of a criminal group.
She is due to appear for a committal mention in Downing Centre Local Court next week.