Infamous former politician Salim Mehajer has been found guilty of six domestic violence charges, including common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, intimidation and choking.
After five hours of deliberation, following a three-week trial, the NSW District Court jury found the 36-year-old guilty of assaulting and threatening to kill his ex-girlfriend.
The court heard that Mehajer had often had “bouts or episodes of anger” where he would threaten harm to the woman, her family or himself.
This included incidents such as punching his then girlfriend’s head 10 times in his car, grabbing her hand so hard that her phone screen cracked and cut her and threatening to put a bullet in her mother’s head. The court also heard that Mehajer had covered the woman’s mouth and nose with his hand, stopping her breathing until she passed out.
Claiming the woman had lied by faking texts and photoshopping pictures of bruises, Mehajer pleaded not guilty and represented himself in court after being unable to secure financial assistance to pay for lawyers. He claimed the relationship “had its ups and downs” but that there was “never any acts of violence”.
When the woman gave evidence before a closed court, Mehajer was required to question her through a third party.
The former girlfriend testified she feared for her life throughout the relationship.
The woman’s mother also testified that she’d seen her daughter’s injuries and that her daughter only came forward with the allegations knowing that Mehajer was already in police custody and couldn’t reach her.
A former deputy mayor of Auburn City Council, Mehajer already has a notorious and controversial history as a convicted criminal.
Back in 2016, he was suspended as Auburn deputy mayor for failing to disclose financial interests.
Then, in 2018, he was sentenced to 21 months in jail, with a non-parole period of 11 months, after it was found he had rigged an Auburn local council election. The court ruled he had committed 77 offences of electoral fraud.
Following that, in 2021, Mehajer was sentenced to at least two years and three months in jail for lying to the court. He had tried to secure bail conditions under false pretences to further his business interests.
Now, with his most recent domestic violence charges, Mehajer will face a hearing on Thursday before learning his sentence on June 23.
1800RESPECT – 1800 737 732
Lifeline – 13 11 14