Disgraced former politician Salim Mehajer told his sister: “Whatever I did… I swear to God, I did it out of spite” after he was accused of choking his ex-girlfriend, court documents revealed.
Mehajer, 36, is currently in jail awaiting trial on a series of serious domestic violence allegations against his ex-girlfriend Melissa Tysoe.
Last week, he lost a desperate bid for release when the Court of Appeals denied his request for bail within minutes.
The former Auburn deputy mayor has pleaded not guilty to seven counts, consisting of four counts of common battery and one count of battery causing actual bodily harm, intimidation and intentional suffocation of a victim with recklessness.
Disgraced former politician Salim Mehajer told his sister ‘whatever I did… I swear to God, I did it out of spite’, after ex-girlfriend Melissa Tysoe accused him of domestic violence and suffocation (pictured). together)
Mr. Mehajer was charged with crimes of domestic violence on December 23, 2020.
Four days later, the court heard on Friday that Mehajer’s sister texted her ex-partner saying the former politician had said he “never did anything wrong” and wanted her to drop the charges.
Judge Garling said that earlier that day, during a phone call, Mr. Mehajer told his sister: ‘But when I’m (sic) on good terms with her. I never do anything wrong. Never. But whatever I did, whatever I did… I swear to God, I did it out of spite.
Mehajer has endured a roller coaster of legal proceedings in recent months and argued last week that he should be allowed out on bail so he can prepare for his trial, where he is expected to represent himself, after being denied Legal Aid funding.
Mehajer’s sister sent her ex-partner a text message saying the former politician had said he “never did anything wrong” and wanted her to drop the charges. Disgraced former deputy mayor Salim Mehajer (left) is pictured with his ex-girlfriend Melissa Tysoe
Mehajer appears on Center Court at Downing
He remains in custody at the Mid North Coast Correctional Center in Kempsey, New South Wales, and was held in protective custody at the court hearing.
The Court of Appeal published its reasons for rejecting Mr Mehajer’s bail offer on Friday, with Judge Peter Garling describing the crown case against him as: “reasonably strong”.
Mehajer is eligible for parole after he was jailed in April 2021 on unrelated charges of perverting the course of justice and making a false statement under oath.
Judge Garling wrote in his ruling that Mr. Mehajer was first eligible for release in January, but remains in jail because he was denied bail on allegations that he committed domestic violence offenses against his former partner Melissa Tysoe.
Earlier this year, he was granted bail by the NSW District Court, only for the Director of Public Prosecutions to make a successful arrest application in the NSW High Court.
Melissa Tysoe (pictured on the left) had dated Salim Mehajer (pictured on the right) for about three years.
The Court of Appeal published its reasons for rejecting Mr Mehajer’s bail offer on Friday, with Judge Peter Garling describing the crown case against him as: “reasonably strong”.
He sought to overturn that decision in the Court of Appeals, however the panel of judges Garling, Robert Beech-Jones and Dina Yehia last week took 16 minutes to dismiss his bid for release.
Judge Garling wrote in his ruling that Mr. Mehajer pleaded for his release on the grounds that the case would be based on electronic material, which he could not study while in prison.
He also said that he needed to be released to replace a SIM card he had given to his alleged victim when he was detained in November 2020.
Mr. Mehajer argued that he needed the SIM card to communicate with his friends and supporters so he could raise money for his legal fees and save his house from repossession.
Judge Garling wrote in his ruling that Mr. Mehajer pleaded for his release on the grounds that the case would be based on electronic material, which he could not study while in prison. Melissa Tysoe pictured
But Judge Garling said he was skeptical of Mr Mehajer’s claims as he knew his supporters well and was seeking legal aid funds.
“You certainly know the people you want to contact for financial assistance,” Judge Garling said.
He also said that the case for Mr. Mehajer’s defense was that none of the alleged crimes had occurred and that he did not need access to extensive documents or electronic material.
“There is nothing about the applicant’s need for his mobile phone or SIM card to support the granting of bail,” Judge Garling said in his ruling.
Judge Garling added: ‘In my opinion, the applicant has not shown reasons why his detention is not justified.
“In summary, the case for the Crown is reasonably strong and the period of his detention is very short and will occur concurrently with the serving of an existing prison sentence.
“Furthermore, the applicant has not presented any satisfactory reason why he needs to be released from custody in order to adequately prepare his defense of the domestic violence charges or the other charges he faces.”
Mehajer will return to court next week.
