Notorious Australian bank robber Brenden Abbott, famously known as the 'Postcard Bandit,' has suffered a legal defeat in his false imprisonment case against the State of Western Australia while simultaneously receiving significant sentence reductions that could see him released from prison sooner than expected.
Supreme Court Rejects False Imprisonment Claim
In a recent Supreme Court of Western Australia decision, Justice Joseph McGrath dismissed Abbott's lawsuit alleging false imprisonment during his time in the state's prison system. The infamous criminal had sought damages claiming he was unlawfully detained beyond his original sentence.
Justice McGrath delivered his judgment on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, finding that Abbott's detention had been lawful throughout his incarceration in Western Australia. The court heard detailed arguments about the timing and legality of Abbott's imprisonment following his extradition from Queensland.
Surprising Sentence Reduction Granted
While Abbott lost his primary legal battle, the court delivered unexpected news that significantly benefits the convicted bank robber. Justice McGrath ordered that Abbott's existing 15-year sentence be backdated to August 2018, effectively reducing his time behind bars by several years.
This backdating means Abbott has already served nearly seven years of his sentence and could potentially become eligible for parole consideration in the near future. The decision came after the court examined the complex timeline of Abbott's multiple sentences across different Australian jurisdictions.
The 61-year-old prisoner, who earned his 'Postcard Bandit' nickname after allegedly sending taunting postcards to police during his years on the run, appeared via video link from Casuarina Prison to hear the mixed outcome of his legal challenge.
Complex Legal History Across States
Abbott's legal troubles span decades and multiple Australian states. He was originally extradited from Queensland to Western Australia in 2018 to face outstanding charges, after which he received his current 15-year sentence for various bank robbery offenses.
The court proceedings revealed the intricate web of sentencing calculations that prisoners like Abbott face when dealing with multiple jurisdictions. His legal team argued that proper accounting of time served across different states warranted both the false imprisonment claim and sentence adjustment.
While the false imprisonment aspect failed, the sentence backdating represents a substantial victory for Abbott, who has spent most of his adult life in prison following multiple bank robberies during the 1990s and his subsequent dramatic escapes from custody.
Corrections authorities now face the task of recalculating Abbott's release eligibility dates in light of the court's ruling. The decision highlights the ongoing legal complexities surrounding long-term prisoners with convictions across multiple Australian states.
