The son of late Sydney underworld figure George Freeman will spend his time in jail "looking over his shoulder" thanks to his father's notoriety, a judge says.
Almost four years after Adam Freeman fled overseas in December 2010, he was sentenced on Monday to at least five years for his role in the production of more than 19kg of the amphetamine MDA.
In handing down his judgment at Sydney's District Court, Judge Andrew Haesler described the effect of the Freeman name.
Within days of the 31-year-old being remanded into custody in August, the court heard his name had already made him a target.
Inside jail, Freeman suffered a 10cm laceration to his forehead when he was hit with a tuna can and outside a "malicious Facebook attack" branded him an "informer".
"He is not to be sentenced as his father's son... but that carries with it certain baggage," Judge Haesler acknowledged.
"He will serve his sentence ... looking over his shoulder."
By the end of George Freeman's life in 1990, the Kings Cross identity had been accused of assault, fixing horse races, bribing police and running illegal casinos.
His reputation as a colourful character of Sydney's late night district was further immortalised in the popular Underbelly television series.
When talking about the show in an interview with News Limited in 2009, Adam reportedly praised how his father was portrayed.
"Our dad looked cool, pretty good. ... the others looked stupid because they were drug dealers."
But by November 2010, Adam Freeman's views on the drug scene had seemingly changed.
The 31-year-old became involved in the large-scale manufacture of drugs at a rural property in Werris Creek near Tamworth in NSW.
The venture was brought to a halt after three weeks when his co-accused were arrested during a random breath test.
A day later Freeman fled overseas, eventually ending up in Bangkok.
After negotiations with the authorities, the 31-year-old was extradited to Sydney in 2011.
While it is unclear what role Freeman played in the production of the drugs, Judge Haesler said he was a "trusted member of the group".
"His reward I believe would have been commensurate with the risk, which would have been substantial."
Taking into account his early guilty plea and his assistance, Freeman was sentenced to a minimum of five years and a maximum of seven years and eight months.
His earliest date of release will be May 2019.
Speaking outside court his mother Georgina Freeman said "it is always sad when a child takes a wrong turn."
"But lessons have been learnt and life goes on."
