Peter Lazaris found guilty of possessing NSW Police uniforms purchased on eBay

The former boss of Sydney’s most infamous bordello claims he bought police uniforms on eBay because he planned to open a museum and rent out paraphernalia to production companies.

Peter Lazaris in 2014, when he gave evidence in a case involving disgraced former federal MP Craig Thomson.

The former boss of one of Australia’s most infamous brothels claims he bought NSW Police uniforms from a stranger on eBay because he intended to display them in a museum and rent them out to production companies.

But a magistrate rejected Peter Lazaris’ “misguided” explanation in the Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday, finding the former owner of infamous Surry Hills brothel A Touch of Class guilty of illegally possessing police uniforms.

The charge stemmed from a November 2022 search of the 56-year-old’s home, where NSW Police found an array of official uniforms and other police paraphernalia.

It is illegal to wear or possess those items without being a police officer other than in limited circumstances, including where a person has them for the purposes of “public entertainment”.

Magistrate Michael Maher said Lazaris had pleaded not guilty, in part, on this basis, arguing he had a “reasonable excuse”.

Peter Lazaris, the former owner of infamous Surry Hills brothel A Touch of Class, outside Downing Centre Local Court in July 2024. Picture: NewsLocal

“He explained in an interview (with police) that he was a collector of police memorabilia (and) part of his reasonable excuse is one day he intended to open a museum,” Mr Maher said.

“(He) intended to have the public come in and take pictures ... people would come around and read about the police.”

Peter Lazaris claimed he was a collector of police memorabilia. Picture: Thomas Lisson

The court heard Lazaris had also expressed an intention to rent the items out to production companies.

But Mr Maher ultimately concluded these reasons did not justify Lazaris’ possession of the uniforms, finding him guilty.

Along with uniforms, Mr Maher outlined how Lazaris had been found in possession of police items that included hats, badges, rank insignia and a dog squad shirt.

The magistrate said the former brothel owner had purchased some of these things from an ex-emergency services worker, who collected memorabilia and sold it on eBay.

Lazaris is due to be sentenced over the police uniforms and three drug charges, to which he previously pleaded guilty, on Friday.

Those offences are two counts of supplying methamphetamine and one charge of possessing the prohibited drug.

Lazaris’ barrister, Marina Kiriakos, told the court her client had struggled with drug addiction for “20-odd years”.

She also said he had been supplying drugs to make money to fund his own addiction but had recently celebrated 12 months sober.

However, Mr Maher pointed out this wasn’t Lazaris’ first time appearing in court on drug charges.

“This is the third time he’s come before the court for the supply of drugs,” he said.

The A Touch of Class brothel, which Peter Lazaris once owned, in Surry Hills.

Lazaris was a director of the shelf company used to run A Touch of Class between 2004 and 2009.

The bordello opened in 1972 and become Sydney’s most well-known bordello due to rumours of its high-profile clientele, said to include businessmen, politicians, judges and sportsmen.

In 2014, Lazaris gave evidence in the fraud case of disgraced former politician Craig Thomson, explaining the checks A Touch of Class would have done when the ex-federal MP used a union credit card at the brothel.