Grace Bros heir Justin Drew and wife Pippi Billingham face court ruling

Grace Bros retail heir Justin “Juzzy” Drew and his wife Pippi Billingham will face court for final submissions and judgment following their home arrests, Annette Sharp reveals.

Justin Drew and his wife Pippi Billingham.

Grace Bros retail heir Justin “Juzzy” Drew and his wife Pippi Billingham face court on Monday for final submissions and judgment following their arrests outside their prized Rose Bay home over an alleged domestic disturbance.

Supporters of the couple, who own trendy Waterloo pub The Cauliflower Hotel, say they are hopeful the court will exonerate the pair, lawyers for whom will argue police should not have entered the couple’s property on the morning of February 21 last year despite Drew placing a triple-0 call.

The Drews have pleaded not guilty and are contesting all charges — three of assaulting a police officer and one of resisting arrest against the businessman and one of resisting arrest against his wife.

True to her word, after she allegedly told police during the couple’s arrest “I’ve got the best lawyers”, Billingham, 46, and her husband, 48, have assembled an arsenal of lawyers led by a former Supreme Court judge Greg James and his two barrister sons, Evan and Liam, to defend them.

Pippi Billingham and Justin Drew on their wedding day.

Instructing solicitor Daniel Hakim, who last year successfully defended neurosurgeon Tim Steel in a DVO case brought by his estranged socialite wife Emma, last week confirmed the Drews’ case rests on whether the magistrate finds police had cause to enter the family home without a warrant.

“All that was required was for them to hand over a court attendance notice,” Hakim said.

“It’s my client’s view they should be exonerated of any wrongdoing and the charges dropped. They are very apprehensive and embarrassed. Should the matter not be dropped, my clients will appeal.”

The couple are facing court on a number of charges, which they are contesting.

Hakim said in the event charges were dropped, the couple was weighing up a civil suit which would see them sue the police for wrongful arrest, false imprisonment and injuries sustained when the pair were placed in separate paddy wagons.

It’s 15 months since the couple were arrested by police officers responding to a triple-0 call made by Drew.

During the call, which was played to the court in September, Drew reported that his wife of five years had assaulted him with a phone and was armed with a chair.

“I just got belted,” Drew told the triple-0 operator before dawn on February 21.

“I’ve got nowhere else to go mate. I just can’t deal with it anymore. I won’t hurt anyone. I won’t escalate but eventually she’s going to push me.”

The ex-Cranbrook rugby player offered his weight and height to the operator over the phone — 195cm and 120kg.

As many as eight police officers are said to have attended the Rose Bay house where the couple are raising a seven-year-old daughter.

Bodycam footage played to Downing Centre Local Court in September captured Billingham, escorted by officers as she exits the house, shouting: “Can I cuddle my husband? Juzzy, Juzzy, Juzzy, Juzzy, Justin, I love you … I’m sorry that it happened.”

Drew admitted to police both husband and wife had been drinking before police attended the scene about 5.30am.

As neighbours gathered to watch, three police officers wrestled Drew into cuffs on the ground outside the New South Head Rd home as his wife, being ushered into a paddy wagon, shouted: “You can’t do that to my husband, stop it, stop it … f**k you. I’m not drunk, I’m not drunk, get off him, I love him.”

Drew is the son of Julia Drew, whose father Bertram “Mick” Grace was the son of Grace Bros co-founder Albert Grace. The family sold the retail franchise, which once boasts
163 stores, to Myer in the 1980s for $212 million.