Joshua Hammoud: Blakehurst man sentenced over Victoria Rd crash

A real estate agent has faced court after a night out ended with him crashing a car in Sydney’s inner west and then lying to police by pretending his car was stolen.

Joshua Hammoud leaving Newtown Local Court.

A real estate agent’s night out with “the boys” ended terribly after he crashed a car into the back of a truck and lied to police about the cause of the accident.

Blakehurst man Joshua Hammoud, 27, faced Newtown Local Court on Tuesday where he pleaded guilty to negligent driving, not giving particulars to the owner of damaged property, driving under the influence of alcohol and falsely representing an event to police.

Documents tendered to court lay out how Hammoud found himself crashing his car into the back of a parked truck on Victoria Rd, Marrickville.

On August 7, 2022, the 27-year-old lost control of his car while making a right hand turn near Myrtle St, the court heard.

Hammoud then left the car and walked away despite multiple witnesses seeing the collision. But when police arrived at the scene he was only 200 metres away from his crashed car.

Joshua Hammoud, pictured leaving Newtown Local Court.

According to court documents, Hammoud told the police officers: “I wouldn’t drive like this. Yes, I’ve been out tonight, it’s a Saturday night, it’s a good night. I got the boys with me, but I wouldn’t … drive under the influence.”

Hammoud then claimed someone else had stolen his car.

“(He later stated) that he had received a phone call from an unknown person, berating him and telling him they had stolen his car,” court documents state.

“(Hammoud) stated he was told: “I took your car, go f*** your mother, f*** off”.”.

Police facts state throughout their interaction Hammoud was drunk, slurring his words, swaying and smelling of alcohol but he was allowed to leave without being breath tested because he had said his car had been stolen.

But three days after the crash the young real estate agent confessed to police, telling them he was the car’s driver.

In court, Magistrate Clare Farnan said Hammoud has a bad driving record and was lucky he did not hurt someone.

“Mr Hammoud is very fortunate he is here for these offences and not for seriously injuring or killing somebody,” she said.

Ms Farnan also told the court the real estate agent was a person of good character and did not have a criminal record.

She convicted Hammoud and fined him $1000. He also received a 12-month community corrections order (CCO) and was disqualified from driving for six months.