Tirath Singh: Former Sikh priest convicted for trespassing

A former Sikh priest was banned from a western Sydney temple after he disrupted a service and found on the grounds with a traditional silver sword worn across the body, a court heard.

The unassuming Penrith Sikh Temple on Blaikie Rd, Jamisontown, that Tirath Singh was banned from. He must pay $950 in fines and court costs after taking his mission to have trespassing charges dropped all the way to the Supreme Court.

A former Sikh priest who took his fight against a ban from a Penrith temple all the way to the Supreme Court has been found guilty of trespassing.

Tirath Singh, 41, of Cambridge Park, was banned from the Penrith Sikh Temple on Blaikie Rd, Jamisontown, last October after a disagreement on his position at the temple.

The Supreme Court heard on Monday that Mr Singh, who said he was formally the Head Priest of the temple, took the stage out of turn on October 27 and disrupted a worship service, leading to the President of the Sikh Association of Australia, Preet Singh Dhariwal, banning him from the location.

A Kirpan similar to what Tirath Singh was wearing during one of the trespassing incidents.

Mr Singh ignored the ban, and continued to attend the temple, including on three occasions that led to police charges.

According to police facts, Mr Singh was first charged on January 18 when he attended the temple to pray for about half an hour.

He was charged again on February 1 for a five-minute prayer at the temple. Both times he was asked to leave by members of the temple.

He was again charged on February 9 when he attended the temple at about 12.30pm. Police said he was wearing a navy blue turban and a Kirwan, a traditional silver sword worn across the body.

Despite taking his fight all the way to the Supreme Court, Tirath Singh was convicted on three charges of trespassing and fined $950 in Penrith Local Court on Wednesday.

During a recorded interview, Mr Singh told police he was aware of the ban, but didn’t believe the police had the right to restrict him from a place of worship central to his beliefs.

Mr Singh originally moved to have the three charges against him dropped in the Local Court, and took it to the Supreme Court when that motion was denied.

The Supreme Court sent it back to the Local Court for a hearing on Wednesday.

During the hearing, Mr Singh argued that the Sikh Association and Mr Dhariwal did not have the authority to ban him from the grounds.

However, Magistrate Hiatt found him guilty of three counts of unlawful entry on inclosed lands, and fined him a total of $950.

Mr Singh was also required to pay the court costs associated with the Supreme Court.