Jake Brown sentenced for Northies Cronulla assault after hiring alleged ‘fake’ lawyer Alec Stuart

A former real estate agent and member of the defence force hired an alleged ‘fake lawyer’ who advised him to defend charges that he assaulted three men inside a popular Cronulla nightclub.

Jake Brown was sentenced after he assaulted two men in a pub fight at Northies last year. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

A former real estate agent who was advised by an allegedly “fake” lawyer to defend allegations he assaulted three men in a Cronulla nightclub has been sentenced.

Jake Wharerimu Brown, 24, appeared in Sutherland Local Court on Thursday where he was going to have a hearing but instead was sentenced over two charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm related to a pub fight at Northies Cronulla last year.

Documents tendered to court said Brown was originally represented by Alec Stuart who claimed he was a practising criminal lawyer.

Alexander Pinnock, 33, – also known as Alec Stuart and Alec Anton Stuart – has been charged by the Law Society of NSW with five counts of being an unqualified person advertising they could engage in legal practice and one count of engaging in legal practice when he was not qualified.

Stuart is alleged to have advertised himself as a South Australian lawyer and a “partner” at “Sydney Lawyers” when he was not qualified.

Alexander Pinnock – aka Alec Stuart – has been charged with allegedly impersonating a NSW lawyer.

He is now under investigation in Queensland, as records and statements appear to indicate he is not qualified to practise in NSW, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria or the United States – contrary to claims made on various profiles attributed to him in court documents.

On May 5, Stuart entered pleas of not guilty on behalf of Brown when the case was first heard in Sutherland Local Court.

He then represented Brown on June 23 via email where an adjournment was sought before he again acted as Brown’s lawyer on July 7 and a hearing date of March 9, 2023 was set to defend the assault charges.

In court on Thursday, Brown had changed lawyers and was represented by Liam McKibbin from Armstrong Legal, which has no affiliation with Stuart.

Agreed facts tendered to court said Brown was at Northies Cronulla Hotel on March 26 last year where he was dancing with two friends shortly before midnight.

He became involved in a verbal altercation with three other men.

Brown shoved one of the men and threw a drink on the stranger.

Brown then immediately punched another man in the head several times after he had a drink thrown in his face.

Jake Brown was sentenced in Sutherland Local Court on Thursday Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

When another one of the group’s mates intervened and pushed Brown away, Brown punched him in the head twice.

Brown continued to punch the men before security dragged him away and he was arrested.

In court, Magistrate Jillian Kiely was aware of the allegations against Stuart and therefore gave Brown a full discount for pleading guilty given he had made admissions to the offences in a police interview.

She described Brown’s actions as “bad, bad behaviour that is all too common in licensed premises”.

Ms Kiely said “stupid, impulsive, alcohol fuelled violence” could give “devastating injuries to people”.

She noted the victims sustained a black eye and severe swelling to the face.

Ms Kiely noted Brown, who has a child, lost his career, relationship and had turned to alcohol at the time of the incident.

The court heard, Brown, who used to serve in the defence force, was in a new relationship and Ms Kiely noted he was taking more positive steps.

She convicted Brown and placed him on a community correction order for nine months.