During his trial, he claimed he was involved only in cases of consensual sex, laughed when his verdict was read and swore at the judge when he received his sentence.

[8] NSW Attorney General Bob Debus decided that the government would seek leave for an appeal to the High Court of Australia against the sentence reduction.

[11] Bilal and Mohammed are the sons of Mustapha and Baria Skaf, who emigrated to Australia from war-torn Lebanon in the 1970s.

[12] Bilal Skaf began his sentence in Sydney's Long Bay Correctional Centre but was soon moved to maximum security in Goulburn Gaol after prison officers uncovered plans by fellow inmates to inject him with HIV-infected blood.

[citation needed] In March 2003, he was charged with writing a threatening letter to Corrective Services NSW Commissioner, Ron Woodham.

[1] While awaiting a court appearance for the letter incident, in July 2003, drawings of gang rape were discovered in Skaf's prison cell.

[13][14] According to prison guards, Skaf thought that he would be given a hero's welcome by Lebanese inmates such as the gangland murderer Michael Kanaan.