The Snitch: Bizarre reason juror was kicked off trial

Which NRL star is facing court this week? Who is up for ‘Idiot of the Year’? And what price did a mansion linked to several crime figures go for? The Snitch is here.

Savelio Tamale, who turned out a blinder for the Raiders in their win against the Sharks on Thursday, will face Goulburn Local Court on Wednesday. Picture: Mark Nolan/Getty Images

An early contender has emerged in the Idiot of the Year stakes in the form of the juror who got kicked off a trial for bringing a knife into the Sydney District Court.

The juror was walking into the court complex on March 19 when the sheriffs performing checks found him in possession of the blade.

A fruit knife confiscated from a juror going into the Sydney District Court on March 19..

Asked what it was for, the juror explained it was for cutting up fruit.

The juror explained that it was not a switchblade.

Rather, he said it folded into a handle and had a clip so it could be worn on his belt for easy access – presumably for when he needed to quickdraw slice a banana.

A none too pleased Judge James Bennett SC wasn’t buying it and kicked the juror off the trial.

He also suggested three offences that police might charge the man with, like bringing an offensive weapon into a courthouse.

It wasn’t the only drama the judge had to face with jurors in the trial.

A second juror had to be punted after he saw a fellow female juror at a venue and made determined efforts to socialise with her despite the woman repeatedly rebuffing him.

It went contrary to the directions given to the man not to make connections with fellow jurors outside of the court.

The trial then continued without the fruit enthusiast or the casanova.

League star’s day in court

The NRL is a broad church, meaning its stars can also be customers of the state’s court system – and this week will be no different.

Step forward emerging Canberra Raiders star Savelio Tamale.

The 20-year-old winger will face Goulburn Local Court on Wednesday to answer to a charge of driving with a suspended licence.

According to court records, it is the first time Tamale has faced the offence.

It will mark a shift in mood over the last few days for the speedster who turned out a blinder for the Raiders in their win against the Sharks on Thursday.

The young player, who was in the NSW junior State of Origin team in 2023, is so far on an upward trajectory career-wise, so might want to think about playing a tighter hand off the field.

Refuge sold

The waterfront Southern Sydney mansion that carpet salesman Leo Lewin allowed several gangsters to stay at as part of their bail conditions has quietly sold.

Leo Lewin. Picture: Facebook

The Yowie Bay property went under the hammer for $4.05m last July.

It was a tidy return for Lewin who paid $950,000 for it back in 1996, property records said.

One of Sydney’s most feared gangsters was living at the property after Lewin put up bail money for him to stay there instead of jail.

A previous guest was Sydney hit man Hamad “the Executioner” Assad, who was shot dead in 2016 at Georges Hall. Assad’s brother, Tarek Assad, has also lived at the address while on bail.

It wasn’t a bad result for the crooks either.

The five-bedroom property features a luxury pool overlooking the water while a number of the bedrooms look over the same waters.

Guests of the property also enjoyed access to the jetty that gave them boat access to Port Hacking.

The property enjoys access to the jetty that gave Leo Lewin and his guests boat access to Port Hacking.

Unsurprisingly, it didn’t go down well when the NSW Crime Commissioner ruined the party and seized a speed boat that belonged to one of the bailed crime figures while they were staying at the property.

Snitch wonders if any of this came up in the real estate agent’s sales pitch?

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Originally published as The Snitch: Bizarre reason juror was kicked off trial