The Snitch: Criminal lawyer Ali Abbas lands on other side of law
THERE’S been no bigger story in the legal fraternity this year than the arrest of top criminal solicitor Ali Abbas. And if the 39-year-old’s arrest shocked his colleagues, his bail refusal on Friday after a lengthy closed-court hearing knocked their socks off.
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THERE’S been no bigger story in the legal fraternity this year than the arrest of top criminal solicitor Ali Abbas. And if the 39-year-old’s arrest shocked his colleagues, his bail refusal on Friday after a lengthy closed-court hearing knocked their socks off.
Abbas, who has represented some of Sydney’s most high-profile figures, including bikie boss Mick Hawi, spent his first night in prison greens at Silverwater jail on Wednesday night.
Given the high-profile nature of the case and his job, it’s likely Abbas rested his head in the segregated Darcy Block 1 — ironically where Hawi spent his time on remand after a Sydney Airport brawl in 2009.
Abbas, charged with accessory after the fact to murder, had enlisted a top legal team to help him get bail, including former Supreme Court judge Greg James QC. He was later replaced by Maurice Neil QC, who prosecuted disgraced politician Eddie Obeid.
Rounding out the team was lawyer Bryan Wrench, from ageless solicitor Chris Murphy’s firm, and barrister Greg Jones.
A steady stream of criminal solicitors passed through the courthouse hoping for a glimpse of Abbas, with many offering a sympathetic word to his family seated outside.
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The 38-year-old had a number of complex criminal cases on his books, including that of Mirwais Danishyar, who is about to stand trial for his alleged role in the murder of mafia figure Pasquale Barbaro.
Despite Abbas’ incarceration, it is apparent the case would continue with or without the lawyer.
Abbas has also been charged with smuggling a phone into prison for Danishyar’s co-accused, Abuzar Sultani.
RAKE PLATE
NOW for more on our continuing series of lawyers with vanity licence plates. This week we bring you Central Coast defence lawyer Brad Kernick.
Snitch correspondent Richard Noone tells us Mr Kernick has recently been spotted outside Gosford Local Court with a new Jaguar sporting plates that say “Rake” — in honour of the roguish hard-drinking barrister Cleaver Greene from the TV show Rake.
We’re told the plates coincide with Mr Kernick quitting the police prosecutors to be a defence lawyer.
The Snitch couldn’t help but wonder why the plates weren’t snapped up by Sydney barrister Charles Waterstreet, who helped inspire the TV character? The simple answer is that Waterstreet, who was furious to be told of the plates, doesn’t own a car.
“I tend to get more parking fines than the car is worth,” he said.
“I don’t think anyone from Gosford could claim Rake-like status.”
COP THAT MUM!
SOME mothers ease their way back into exercise after childbirth — not Kieran Smith. Seven months after the NSW Police senior constable gave birth she is gearing up for a boxing showdown.
Smith gave birth to her third child in April and set herself a challenge to fight in the NSW Police Boxing Competition at Norths Cammeray on November 21.
Her schedule includes personal training twice a week, sparring twice a week and condition training five times a week.
The fatigue from getting up twice a night to feed her daughter doesn’t stop her either. The secret to juggling it all? A great husband and supportive parents to help with babysitting.
“It’s a challenge and it’s not easy, but it’s all worth while to have something other than ‘mum, mum, mum’,” she laughed.
BIG WIG
BACK to The Snitch’s friend Waterstreet, who has revealed the wig he wears to court was given to him by the late Lionel Murphy QC.
“It is historic and almost preserved in whiskey — his not mine,” he told us.
“I’m very proud of his legal record and he died a man of good character.”
Mr Waterstreet represented Mr Murphy, a former attorney-general, at a parliamentary commission of inquiry into his fitness to be a High Court justice in the ’80s.
Mr Murphy, who was convicted and then acquitted of perverting the course of justice, was accused of trying to influence a court case for a mate and bribe cops. The inquiry came to a halt in 1986 when Mr Murphy died of cancer.
WATERMARK WOES
NSW Police Media Unit is really testing its friendship with the media.
News directors at Channel 7 and 9 had already demanded a “please explain” from PMU head Grant Williams about the use of a large police watermark on any footage.
The unrest grew louder when the unit filmed its own interview with a woman who was a victim of a high-profile kidnapping.
The video was branded with the watermark in a move widely viewed as a further attempt to control information and the police brand.
The argument from police was the media wouldn’t have secured the interview anyway.
Channel 7’s Jason Morrison said Seven, Nine and The Telegraph had an “unprecedented meeting” about it: “Putting a large advertising logo on is crossing the line.”
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