Bilal Elzamtar charged with attending casino on first day of parole
A Sydney man released on parole after serving two years’ imprisonment for his role in a brutal robbery spent his first night of freedom in a different cell after his celebrations went awry.
The Express
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A Sydney man jailed for his role in a brutal armed robbery spent his first night of freedom in a police cell after his wife planned a celebration at a casino he was banned from attending.
Early on July 19, Bilal Elzamtar was released from prison on parole after serving two years and four months for being an accessory before the fact to armed robbery and knowingly participating in firearm supply.
The court heard his wife booked them a night in a ritzy room at the Crown Casino to celebrate their long-awaited reunion – when police suddenly knocked on the door.
Eight months earlier, police had served a banning notice on Elzamtar in prison preventing him from attending Crown Casino – which he refused to open or sign before ordering Corrective Services staff to chuck it in the bin.
The long-forgotten banning notice came back to bite when police interrupted the celebration, charged him with being an excluded person at the casino, and refused his bail – leaving him to spend his first night of freedom in a cell at Sydney Police Centre.
At Downing Centre Local Court on July 20, Magistrate Greg Grogin said he bet Elzamtar couldn’t believe where he was.
“It’s like a dream,” Elzamtar said ruefully.
“More like a nightmare,” Mr Grogin responded dryly.
Elzamtar’s solicitor conceded Elzamtar’s conduct in demanding the sealed envelope containing the banning notice be tossed out was not “very adult” but said his attendance at the venue was unintentional.
“His wife is beside herself that she feels responsible that he landed himself back in custody,” the solicitor told the court.
“(She organised it) simply for them to spend time together.”
Elzamtar pleaded guilty to the single charge, Mr Grogin found the matter proven, and dismissed it without conviction or further penalty.
The 41-year-old Sefton man will remain on parole for the initial offending for the next 14 months.
In February 2022, the District Court heard Elzamtar effectively acted as a “lookout” when a businessman was brutally robbed, slashed with a knife, tied up, punched, kicked in the head and had his foot run over by a car in June 2020.
Three other offenders – of which Elzamtar was not one – then allegedly stole $10,000 cash, a $15,000 watch and a Louis Vuitton handbag.
Judge Jennie Girdham then accepted Elzamtar received no benefit for his role in the robbery and acknowledged a psychologist’s report in which Elzamtar had said he was simply helping a friend.
When he walked free – again – from Sydney Police Centre, a chipper Elzamtar invited NewsLocal to “get a better picture” and posed before departing with his wife.
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