The Snitch: Salim Mehajer not such a high flyer after all

For a man known for his high-flying tastes, it would seem Salim Mehajer is not actually all that fond of planes. Plus, how did actor John Jarratt celebrate his acquital of historic rape charges?

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Adding to Salim Mehajer’s seemingly never-ending list of problems is that he is apparently a nervous flyer.

Mehajer was spotted looking worse for wear on a Qantas flight from Canberra to Sydney on Wednesday night.

We were unable to confirm how bad his airsickness got, but his choice of outfit — a white hoodie and white pants — was a risky selection.

Salim Mehajer leaves Cooma Jail with his solicitor Zali Burrows.

Mehajer was on the flight with his lawyer Zali Burrows, and the pair were flying back from the nation’s capital after answering to yet another set of criminal charges in Cooma Local Court.

The charges included corruptly making a false declaration, dealing with identity info to
commit an indictable offence, and making a false declaration for material benefit.

We’re told the charges relate to a series of parking tickets issued to a number of cars associated with Mehajer.

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He was slapped with the new charges around the time he walked out of Cooma Prison after serving a sentence for electoral fraud.

The matter was transferred to Parramatta Local Court, where Mehajer was ordered to appear
on Thursday.

Meanwhile, of all the bizarre requests from jail birds, a prison source told us that Mehajer demanded make-up before being released. No confirmation if it was foundation, lipstick, mascara or something else.

FLAT WHITE WELCOME

Most weekday mornings, Silks Cafe in the heart of Sydney’s legal district is full of wig-wearing judges and barristers.

So an anxious-looking Brothers for Life gang member would stick out like a sore thumb.

This was no deterrent for lawyer Martin Churchill, who police allege wheeled and dealed with one of crime figure Bassam Hamzy’s disciples at the Phillip St cafe.

Churchill was this week charged with overseeing a drug supply operation on Hamzy’s behalf and using phone calls protected by legal privilege to take instructions from the Supermax inmate.

According to the allegations, the gangster (who cannot be identified) met Churchill because he wanted to distance himself from the group as it was too violent.

SODA CELEBRATION

How did Wolf Creek actor John Jarratt celebrate being acquitted of rape charges? With a soda water.

John Jarratt, his lawyer Bryan Wrench (centre) and others at the Sheraton on the Park post-acquittal drinks on Friday

After he was cleared of raping a female housemate about 40 years ago, Jarratt, his lawyer Bryan Wrench, and others involved in the case piled into Sydney’s Sheraton on the Park for a celebratory drink.

Jarratt is a well-known teetotaller and wouldn’t break that rule even for this occasion, so while Wrench and others cracked open the Moet, Jarratt stuck to his soda water.

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