Former police officer Housam Khatib sentenced for sharing gangland murder plots from internal police systems

A disgraced ex-cop sent sensitive police intel, including gangland murder plots, to his close family and friends to feel “important and powerful”. Here’s how he was dealt with in court.

Khatib when he was in the NSW Police Force.

A disgraced ex-cop sent sensitive police intel to his family and friends to feel “important and powerful”, a court heard.

Housam Sobhi Khatib, of Georges Hall, faced Downing District Court on Thursday for sentence after he pleaded guilty to four counts of holder of public office misconduct himself and nine counts of accessing restricted data held in a computer.

Judge Gina O’Rourke sentenced Khatib to a supervised three-year intensive correction order and placed him under strict bail conditions which included him having to complete 400 hours of community service work.

He was also given a 8pm to 6am curfew for the next year and must participate in any program or treatment recommended by a community corrections order.

The 34-year-old shared sensitive information from the COPS (Computerised Operational Policing System), which contains details on victims of crime, persons of interest and witnesses, on 27 occasions between November 2019 and January 2023.

Khatib (right) shared intel on 27 different occasions.

The former leading senior constable sent a picture to a family member in 2019 about a criminal group planning to “execute” members of a rival group.

On another occasion, Khatib sent the same family member information which related to the gangland assassination of Mahmoud “Brownie” Ahmad at Greenacre in 2022.

Khatib was suffering from poor mental health when he offended.

He also sent a friend information about someone with links to the Alameddine organised crime network, which operates out of the Western Sydney suburb of Merrylands.

Judge Gina O’Rourke said Khatib had leadership responsibilities in the police force and his behaviour was a gross breach of trust and disregard for public safety.

Ms O’Rourke said the duration and repetition of the offending showed he knew what he was doing was wrong.

The court heard Khatib disregarded the public’s safety when he shared the sensitive information. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

“It was a deliberate misuse of intel to benefit those close to him who were not privy to the information,” she said.

“He received no financial gain and having access to the information made him feel important and powerful.”

The court heard Khatib grew up in a Palestinian household and received a “rude shock” when he joined the then predominantly white police force and heard his colleagues allegedly make racist remarks.

Khatib experienced feelings of isolation and his mental health was at its worst when he offended which resulted in poor judgement.

Ms O’Rourke said Khatib had lost his good reputation but regretted his actions and was unlikely to reoffend.

Got a news tip? Email [e-mail]