Henry Sabbah: Pasquale Barbaro-linked standover man to remain in jail

An underworld figure with links to Pasquale Barbaro and Michael Ibrahim who once threatened a mechanic with a black dildo has made a bid for freedom in the Supreme Court.

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The former Mafioso standover man who once bragged about being the ‘king of the eastern suburbs’ drugs trade will remain behind bars after failing in a legal bid for freedom.

Underworld figure Henry Sabbah will serve out the rest of his jail term after his convictions for knowingly possessing counterfeit money for slain gangster Pasquale Barbaro were upheld in the state’s Supreme Court on Wednesday.

Sabbah had earned himself quite the reputation and a slew of high-profile associates before he was sent to the slammer two years ago.

Henry Sabbah has a lengthy criminal history, the court was told.

Earlier in his criminal career, which has seen him convicted of assault, robbery and drug offences, he had boasted of “running the eastern suburbs” and warning that “nobody deals here without paying me rent”.

In 2013 he was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment after he extorted a mechanic with a black dildo – smacking it in his hand in an intimidating manner and demanding thousands of dollars – after his car was seized by police from the yard.

Kings Cross nightclub identity John Ibrahim’s brother Michael had once organised his bail and court documents stated he previously had a bust up with well-known former bikie associate Mark Judge.

However, it was his alleged work for gunned down mafia boss Pasquale Barbaro which landed him in jail.

Michael Ibrahim had once helped post bail for Sabbah.

A former personal trainer and construction industry figure, Sabbah was in 2016 caught with more than $31,000 worth of fake $50 notes in his man bag by police.

During a call to his sister from his cell, Sabbah said a “Pasquale” had paid him $200 a day to move the counterfeit money.

Nine different numbers for Barbaro were listed on his phone – ranging from “Pat Bar” to “Pat Bro Mate” – with the court finding there was no evidence he was working for the mob boss.

Barbaro, pictured, was gunned down just six months after Sabbah’s arrest.

Two days before his arrest he paid an Uber driver $350 to ferry him between Alexandria and Fairfield from the stash of dodgy cash.

The Reserve Bank of Australia’s analysis of the notes concluded ink was bleeding around the edges and they had a chemical smell.

The father-of-two appealed his 2016 three-year and six-month jail sentence on the basis that it was manifestly excessive, however, that claim was knocked back by three Justices of the Criminal Court of Appeal on Wednesday morning.

He will be released on parole on May 20, 2021.

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