Sam Einfeld: Ex-Waverley councillor faces break and enter charges

An ex-Sydney councillor and cousin of a disgraced federal court judge has been accused of smashing his car into an elderly woman’s garage and breaking her wrist.

An ex-Sydney councillor and cousin of a disgraced federal court judge allegedly smashed a car through a garage door and assaulted an elderly woman who lived there, a court has heard.

Sam Einfeld, 43, became one of Australia’s youngest local government representatives in 1999 when he was elected to Waverley Council. His cousin, former federal court judge Marcus Einfeld, was jailed for three years in 2009 over lying about a $77 speeding ticket.

Reading from police allegations, Magistrate Robert Williams said Einfeld was accused of “using his motor vehicle to smash through the garage door of a property, entering her property, pursuing her through the property and assaulting her at some length while she was on the ground. She sustained a number of injuries including two fractures of the hand and fingers.”

Einfeld faces two charges of break and enter to commit a serious indictable offence — destroying or damaging property and assault occasioning actual bodily harm — and one charge of driving while suspended.

The offences allegedly occurred between 1:27pm and 1:40pm on April 23 at Surry Hills.

Ex-Waverley Councillor Sam Einfeld (middle).

No pleas have been entered for those charges.

When applying for bail on Friday, Einfeld’s lawyer, Ms McMahnn, told the court her client was mentally unwell at the time of the alleged offences because he was abusing prescription substances.

She told the court in contrast to when Einfeld’s bail application was first refused six months ago, there was now a bed available in a nine-month intensive rehabilitation program which his friend offered to pay for.

Magistrate Williams said Ms McMahnn was predisposing that program would be successful and refused the bail application, noting Einfeld had a history of irrational violence and still posed a likely risk to the community.

The court heard Einfeld has been in custody since his arrest six months ago — the first time he’s ever been in jail.

It also heard he faces other assault charges, which are still before the court.

The case is set to return to Downing Centre Local Court for a mention on December 2.