Salim Mehajer found guilty of assaulting 7 News journalist Laura Banks

DISGRACED former Auburn Deputy Mayor Salim Mehajer has been found guilty of assaulting a journalist but the Magistrate chose to convict him without a penalty saying the property developer had been “hounded” by a media pack.

FORMER Auburn Deputy Mayor Salim Mehajer has been found guilty of assaulting a journalist but the Magistrate chose to convict him without a penalty saying the property developer had been “hounded” by a media pack.

The property developer and former councillor pleaded not guilty to assaulting Channel 7 journalist Laura Banks when he slammed her arm in his car door as he left Sydney Central police station on April 2 last year.

Salim Mehajer was found guilty of assaulting 7 News reporter Laura Banks

Magistrate Joanne Keogh said Mehajer, who had just been released from overnight custody for allegedly assaulting a taxi driver, was, “hounded by a pack from the media” and “he was assaulted with a barrage of questions and comments.”

Ms Keogh found that although the media had “deliberately obstructed” the 31-year-old and had “breached the peace” Mehajer was “reckless as to the injury that occurred when he slammed the door shut,” on Ms Banks’ arm.

The Magistrate, however, slammed the behaviour of Banks who positioned herself in his way. Picture: Brianne Makin

During a local court hearing earlier this week the court was shown video of Mehajer getting into the driver’s seat of a Porsche and telling Ms Banks to “jump in the back seat” before shutting the door on her arm.

Banks gave evidence that Mehajer had “roughly,” shut the door on her, bruising on her hand and hurting her back which she said was “still quite sore”.

Mehajer gave evidence that he felt “cornered” and was “just trying to get away” when he shut the door.

Vision shows the moment Banks was assaulted. Picture CH 7

Ms Keogh criticised Ms Banks’ evidence in the witness box saying she was “a witness of little credit” and was “not a witness that has stood up to the scrutiny of cross-examination.”

Mehajer followed today’s proceedings via audio visual link from jail where he is being held on remand in relation to separate charges of allegedly staging a car crash to defraud insurers.

He is set to face a local court hearing for allegedly assaulting a taxi driver on the same day he assaulted Banks later this month.

Ms Keogh sentenced Mehajer under section 10A of the Crimes Act where a conviction is imposed without any further penalty.