Dominic Green: Sydney solicitor convicted of recording at court
An esteemed Sydney solicitor who once boasted about defending murderers and traffic offenders wound up in court for the wrong reason after he Instagrammed a man he found “amusing” inside a Sydney court complex – while he was on a bond for drink driving.
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A magistrate has savaged an experienced Sydney solicitor who photographed a man he found amusing in a Sydney courthouse’s smoking courtyard and posted it to his Instagram story.
Dominic Green, 33, was charged with using a recording device in court premises after he photographed a man wearing unusual sunglasses and blasting music in the smoking courtyard at Sutherland Local Court on October 30 last year.
The esteemed Potts Point solicitor, who is the principal of his own firm, then posted it to his Instagram story tagged #southerncharm.
Green pleaded guilty at Downing Centre Local Court and was convicted and fined $3300 after the court heard he was subject to a conditional release order for drink driving at the time.
His barrister Ben Barrack told Magistrate Erin Kennedy that Green could lose his practising certificate if a conviction was recorded.
“Court is not a game,” Ms Kennedy said.
“It is a very, very serious environment – that act of taking a photograph of someone else because it was amusing is very grave, in my view.”
Ms Kennedy said the situation was further aggravated by the fact Green was subject to a one-year conditional release order at the time for mid-range drink driving in March 2019.
The conditions of the order were to be of good behaviour, abstain from drinking alcohol, continue treatment under his mental health care plan and participate in any program or treatment specified by Community Corrections.
“Here you are again, you were given an opportunity to be of good behaviour and you are back in court again,” Ms Kennedy told Green.
“It was required of you to obey the law – you’ve breached that and it’s troubling.”
Ms Kennedy said those involved with the court worked hard to provide safety, security and protection to everyone who entered the premises.
“You’ve worked very hard to build up a business, to become a lawyer, you’ve had difficult times, you’ve given back to the community, and you are concerned about the impact a conviction will have in relation to your career,” Ms Kennedy said.
“You are a legal practitioner in this state – if we cannot look to you to treat the court system properly then who can we look to?”
Mr Barrack told the court the conduct was entirely out of character for Green.
“It was thoughtless, and nothing beyond that,” Mr Barrack said.
Prior to the courthouse incident Green was an active Instagram user on his law firm’s account.
His official Christmas message last year for his 800 odd followers included two rules, accompanied by a photograph of a puppy.
“Stay away from the cops. Don’t be a dog.”
