Why would Ibrahim hide gun in ‘prime shoe territory’ of girlfriend’s wardrobe?
Sydney identity John Ibrahim may as well have thrown a stolen gun over a cliff rather than try to hide it in the “prime high heel shoe territory” of his model girlfriend’s wardrobe, prosecutors say.
NSW
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John Ibrahim may as well have thrown a stolen gun off a cliff rather than try to occupy “prime high heel shoe territory” in his model girlfriend’s wardrobe undetected, a court heard.
And Sarah Budge is trying to “pull the wool over” the eyes of Sydney jurors by claiming the Kings Cross identity or someone close to him planted a loaded Glock pistol at her home without her knowledge, the Crown says.
“It’s an affront to common sense,” prosecutor Chris Taylor told Budge’s firearm possession trial.
Known for flashing striking looks at fashion photographers in her day job, Budge’s usual stealy demeanour gave way to a laugh when her umbrella flew up in wild weather as she arrived at Downing Centre District Court.
Mr Taylor asked the 29-year-old how many pairs of shoes had been in her bedroom closet when police searched her Double Bay apartment in August 2017.
“Roughly 20,” she answered with a giggle.
But Budge soon started crying after Mr Taylor suggested she kept the weapon for protection amid safety concerns around the release of Mr Ibrahim’s autobiography, which names convicted killers and questionable characters from the city’s criminal underworld.
“That’s why it was in a special, high real estate territory of your wardrobe… it was your prized possession to have, wasn’t it?” Mr Taylor asked.
“No,” she said.
“I had no idea any firearm was in my place.”
Police found the gun and bullets inside a box in Budge’s cupboard on August 8, 2017 during dawn raids connected with a suspected international drug smuggling ring.
The idea that Budge had left an empty box at the front of her closet where many other shoeboxes competed for space was “fanciful”, Mr Taylor said.
Equally unrealistic was the assertion that Mr Ibrahim broke into the Potts Point restaurateur’s home thinking her bedroom was the best place to hide a gun, the court heard.
Why not bury it four feet deep in a national park, or at least put it somewhere less conspicuous within Budge’s flat, Mr Taylor asked the jury.
The 51-year-old could have jammed it under the kitchen sink, concealed it at the back of the fridge or taped it to the underside of a toilet cistern lid, the court heard.
“Oh no, but I’ve got a better idea. Why don’t I just put it in a really obvious spot in the bottom of the wardrobe?” Mr Taylor said in his closing address.
“You may as well have just thrown it over a cliff in the first place.”
Defence barrister Simon Buchen SC labelled it a “completely unsustainable” theory, insisting the Tea Too box had been shoved into an “out of the way, out of sight place” next to a broken lamp.
“If this was her prized possession… don’t you think she would have taken some steps to properly secure it?” he asked.
“The accused had no reason to check the contents of the box from the time she unpacked the teacup.”
Mr Taylor slammed Budge as an untruthful witness for claiming Mr Ibrahim was “anti-guns” as proved in his best-selling book she helped edit.
In the memoir, the author claims he couldn’t decide whether or not to take his hand off his gun to shake hands with corrupt cop Roger Rogerson when the pair met.
The trial before Judge David Arnott continues.