The Snitch: Taxpayers won’t fund Gladys’ ICAC battle
Who’s paying Gladys’ legal fees? Would you fight a man named after a small but savage dog? And what happened to Bassam Hamzy’s lawyer? The Snitch is here.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
It won’t be cheap, but Gladys Berejiklian is set to fund her own legal appeal when she attempts to overturn the corruption finding made against her.
The former premier has retained eminent barrister Bret Walker SC, whose fees are rumoured to be around $25,000 a day, for her case against the Independent Commission Against Corruption in the NSW Court of Appeal.
Ms Berejiklian quit politics as a result of the ICAC investigation and now works in the private sector.
There were some rumours that taxpayers may pick up some or all of the tab for her legal fees given her former employment as a politician.
But we have been told that won’t happen, and that Ms Berejiklian will pay her own legal bills.
“She considers it the right thing to do,” a source told Snitch.
In June, ICAC made a finding that Ms Berejiklian engaged in corrupt behaviour by exercising her political power to advocate for projects in Darryl Maguire’s electorate of Wagga Wagga without disclosing her relationship with him.
Last week it was revealed that Ms Berejiklian is appealing the finding.
Ms Berejiklian’s appeal grounds include that she was not acting to receive a private benefit from projects in Mr Maguire’s electorate.
OMAR GOODNESS, IT’S A JAIL FIGHT
The name probably should have been a warning sign.
But a member of one of Western Sydney’s most feared crime families was involved in a jail fight – and there are mixed reports as to who came off second best.
Omar Haouchar, the brother of underworld heavy Bilal and one-time armed robbery protege of NSW’s “baddest man” Reynold Glover, got into the brawl on August 27.
And the name of the other man in the fight?
Jack Russell.
Snitch probably would have walked away from that one based on the name alone.
A Corrective Services spokesman said guards directed the two men to stop and then intervened to separate the men after being ignored.
Both were assessed by Justice Health and were ordered to stay in their cells for three days. Neither man was hospitalised.
CHURCHILL CASE ABANDONED
It was massive news when lawyer Martin Churchill was charged with helping crime boss Bassam Hamzy run a drug operation from behind bars.
But it barely rated a mention when his case was abandoned last August on medical grounds.
We’re told Churchill has a very serious and potentially fatal condition that has relegated him to living in a hospice from which he may not leave.
His barrister Alex Radojev made the argument for the permanent stay on the case and it was granted by Judge Leonie Flannery SC on August 5, 2022.
Meanwhile, Hamzy is set to go to trial over the affair next year.
Prosecuting lawyers alleged Hamzy ran a drug operation Goulburn’s Supermax and was assisted by Churchill, who allegedly communicated with him about the scheme under the veil of legal client privilege.
Got a snitch? Contact brenden.hills@news.com.au
Interim report hints at ‘alien poo’ mystery being solved
Two popular Sydney beaches will remain off limits until further notice in the wake of hundreds of mysterious black tar-like balls being washed up on the sand this week.
Bail for ex-teacher after jury undecided on child sex charge
A former English teacher will be released from custody after the jury in his five-week trial was unable to determine if he had sex with a 15-year-old girl.