Judge outburst that Sam Ibrahim is ‘no innocent cleanskin’
It was the end of the day and a seasoned, Sydney judge finally cracked it at the suggestion that former bikie boss Hassan “Sam” Ibrahim — brother of Kings Cross identity John — was just a gun syndicate’s “middle man”
NSW
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It was the end of the day and a seasoned, Sydney judge finally cracked it.
“I’m not going to sit here and let you tell me he’s some sort innocent clean skin,” NSW District Court judge Anthony Blackmore said.
“He was a member of an outlaw motorcycle gang; there is no doubt he has seen weapons in the past,” he added.
This was his response to barrister Peter Lange who was trying to downplay the role his former bikie boss Hassan “Sam” Ibrahim played in a gun racket with a former rock ‘n’ roll drummer and a man named Elvis.
Before the judge’s outburst, Mr Lange had told the court his client — the older brother of Kings Cross identity John — was merely an “enthusiastic middle man” in the gun syndicate which was taken down in 2014.
Ibrahim, 51, has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to supply firearms in syndicate with former Rose Tattoo drummer Paul DeMarco, his sister Jazz Dior and her partner, Elvis Mileski.
He has been in custody for three years and nine months since his arrest in 2014 and appeared in court on Thursday for his sentencing hearing.
Mr Lange argued his client was a middle man who was not at the helm of the syndicate.
“It was a role admittedly he played actively, enthusiastically but nonetheless … I suggest his role is only that of a middle man,” Mr Lange said.
Crown prosecutor Sarah Talbert argued Ibrahim was “entrenched in this conspiracy”, and the “driving force” who was “calling the shots”.
“Not only did the offender stand to benefit financially from being involved in the conspiracy, but that it was he who was in effect financing the acquisitions of the firearms,” Ms Talbert said.
According to an agreed statement of facts intercepted phone calls and police surveillance found that Ibrahim, Mileski, and Dior “actively planned and conducted” negotiations to get guns for Demarco which were then sold to an undercover officer.
DeMarco, Ibrahim, Dior and Mileski were arrested in April 2014, after raids in Sydney and Wollongong.
Intercepted calls showed Ibrahim was getting frustrated at a third party for delays in receiving guns and repeatedly heard saying he’d “cave his head in”.
In one call Ibrahim told DeMarco he had an injured hand because he “slapped” the person that had held them up.
“You can’t fix stupidity,” Ibrahim said.
Police surveillance recorded the syndicate discussing their plans to supply five Glocks in 2014, but the plot never came to fruition after the group was infiltrated by an undercover police officer.
Ibrahim will be sentenced on February 16.