Judges increase Lindstrom's sentence
July 24, 2008 - 11:23AM

Swedish-born waitress Charlotte Lindstrom has had her jail term increased for soliciting a Sydney hitman to murder two witnesses.

Increasing her minimum term from two to three years, the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal has upheld a challenge by the crown, which had argued her sentence was too lenient.

The three judges increased her maximum term from three years and 10 months to four years and nine months.

Lindstrom, 23, who was not present in court for the decision, had pleaded guilty to soliciting a hitman to murder two witnesses due to give evidence at her then boyfriend's drug trial.

The earliest date on which Lindstrom will be eligible for release on parole is now May 25, 2010.

Appeal court president Justice James Allsop and Justices Bruce James and Derek Price agreed her sentence had been "manifestly inadequate".

They said the only conclusion from the evidence was that Lindstrom told the hitman - who unknown to her was an undercover officer - that her boyfriend wanted the two intended victims in a cemetery, not merely in hospital.

" ... (she) was fully aware that the consequences of her actions, if the criminal enterprise succeeded, would be the killing of the two intended victims," the judges said.

They rejected the sentencing judge's conclusion that Lindstrom did not stand to benefit in any way if the criminal enterprise succeeded.

"As submitted by the crown, (she) would have benefited from regaining her partner and resuming the lifestyle she had while (her boyfriend) was at liberty," the judges said.

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Photos of Charlotte in blue dress taken at Industrie Bar Nightclub on August 18th 2006.

Photos of Charlotte in black Wagamama t-shirt taken as bar staff on 12th Oct 2005.

Red dress is at Sydney Cup - Randwick races.

Pink Dress is private function.

Yellow dress is at the Establishment Hotel.

Police arrested Swedish national Charlotte Karin Maria Lindstrom, a Sydney socialite who has been accused of trying to organise a hitman to kill two Crown witnesses in a criminal case.