Milos Dobre: Fernhill man admits to intimidating former colleague of high school teacher Phil Saunders

The friend of an Illawarra teacher who allegedly ran a betting ring in his classroom admitted he screamed at a colleague “you’re a dead man walking” in a pub car park, a court has heard.

Milos Dobre (bottom left) was drinking with Phil Saunders (top left) at the Figtree Hotel when the former confronted a witness subject to a hearing involving the latter.

The friend of an Illawarra teacher who allegedly ran a betting ring in his classroom admitted he screamed at his colleague “you’re a dead man walking” in a pub car park, a court has heard.

Milos Dobre, 48, was set to face a hearing in Wollongong Local Court on Friday before entering a last-minute guilty plea to using intimidation or violence to unlawfully influence a person.

Upon the guilty plea, a more severe charge of threatening or causing injury to a person for being witness was withdrawn by police.

Documents tendered in court state Dobre is friends with Phil Saunders, a former Wollongong High School teacher who allegedly ran an English Premier League punters club in his PDHPE class.

Saunders pleaded not guilty to two counts of indecent assault of a person under his authority, two counts of indecent assault of a person under 16, intimidation and engaging in gambling with a minor.

Phil Saunders leaving Wollongong Local Court in October, 2023. Picture: Dylan Arvela

His hearing began in 2022 and is expected to conclude later this year.

To date, the court has heard allegations Saunders unleashed an “aggressive” and “threatening” tirade towards fellow teacher Sally Johnston after she lodged a complaint about him to PDHPE head teacher David Arthur.

In a separate alleged incident, Saunders had a whiteboard in his class tabling student’s bet on English top-flight soccer matches.

Another Wollongong High School PDHPE teacher Mikayla Chaffey told the court students had told her Saunders “was not teaching” and “most of the lesson was spent on a betting syndicate” where $2 bets were recorded on board.

Documents state Dobre was with Saunders and another male at the Figtree Hotel on October 22, 2022, about two weeks after part of the teacher’s hearing. Mr Arthur – who is not accused of any wrongdoing – was also at the drinking hole.

Milos Dobre leaving court on Friday. Picture: Dylan Arvela

Document state Mr Arthur – who did not know Dobre or the other man with Saunders – decided to leave, at which point Dobre followed and started screaming at him.

“Hey mate, where are you going?” Dobre yelled.

“Come back and have another beer.”

The documents state Dobre gestured at Mr Arthur and continued his tirade.

“Yeah you c---, come back,” Dobre screamed across the carpark.

“Keep walking as you’re a dead man walking.”

Mr Arthur left before reporting the incident to Sergeant Nathan Kirkwood, the officer in charge of the investigation into Saunders.

The documents state Dobre was not able to be immediately identified by the CCTV footage obtained from the hotel.

However, in May, last year, the hearing continued where Mr Arthur was to give evidence when he heard Dobre talking to another man who was at court supporting Saunders.

Mr Arthur told Sgt Kirkwood “That’s him” with the officer immediately recognising Dobre as the man in the CCTV footage.

The documents state Dobre was asked to leave the court before police arrested and charged him at his home in Fernhill later that afternoon.

Dobre will be sentenced in March.

Got a news tip? Email [e-mail]