Feras Abdul-Hamid: Berkeley man found guilty of dangerous pursuit, drug possession after trial

An Illawarra man sped a Mercedes-Benz at more than four times the speed limit through Sydney’s inner west as he dropped bags of drugs out the window, a court has heard.

Feras Abdul-Hamid is standing trial in Wollongong District Court.

An Illawarra man sped a Mercedes-Benz at more than four times the speed limit through Sydney’s inner west as he dropped bags of drugs out the window, a court has heard.

It took a jury 85 minutes to convict Feras Abdul-Hamid of the dangerous offending after a two-day trial before Judge Andrew Haesler at Wollongong District Court.

The 42-year-old Berkeley man pleaded not guilty to being involved in a police pursuit, speeding in excess of 45km/h above the speed limit and drug possession.

The main point of dispute in the trial was who was the driver of the Mercedes-Benz.

The trial heard police were patrolling in Alexandria about 3.50am on April 12, 2021, when they sighted a white Mercedes-Benz speeding in the opposite direction.

The white Mercedes-Benz police allege Feras Abdul-Hamid was speeding in was registered to his wife Suzanna Ristevska.

The court heard Senior Constable Nicholas Floro witnessed the sole occupant of the vehicle was a male driver.

Police conducted a U-turn before attempting to pull the vehicle over as it approached Newtown.

The court heard officers saw “small bags” being thrown out of the car window with the vehicle slowing down before speeding up again.

A pursuit ensued as the Mercedes-Benz reached a speed of more than 200km/h in a 50km/h zone and narrowly missed a Toyota HiLux.

The police – who reached a top speed of 174km/h – terminated the pursuit.

The officers backtracked and located a “small clear bag with a prohibited drug” on the corner of King St and Alice St, Newtown.

A bag of drugs was found on the corner of Alice St and King St in Newtown. Picture: Google Maps

The Mercedes-Benz was found two days later parked on President Ave, Brighton-Le-Sands, with a registration check revealing the car belonged to Abdul-Hamid’s wife Suzanna Ristevska.

The court heard police contacted Ristevska who told police she wished to report that the car had been stolen with it last seen in Dapto about 2am the night of the pursuit.

The court heard finger prints of Abdul-Hamid were located on the body of the vehicle of interest after it was seized with DNA of the offender, his wife and another male found on the steering wheel.

The court heard the phone number being used by Abdul-Hamid was picked up by cell towers in nearby St Peters and Sydenham.

Abdul-Hamid will be sentenced later this year.