Millionaire Michael Teplitsky learns fate over fingertip assault on rival developer Tal Silberman
A developer who was charged with assault after touching his finger to a rival businessman’s forehead in a clash over property has learnt his fate in court.
Police & Courts
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A fingertip to the forehead was all it took to land a wealthy eastern suburbs property developer in court — accused of assaulting a one-time business partner-turned-rival.
Millionaire developer Michael Teplitsky and Sydney business personality Tal Silberman are used to facing off in the courtroom — the pair is currently locked in a civil lawsuit in the NSW Supreme Court over an apartment block.
But The Daily Telegraph can reveal the pair’s rivalry spilt over into a head-to-head clash in person inside Silberman’s Rose Bay home in April last year.
Documents tendered to the Downing Centre Local Court said Teplitsky drove the short distance from his sprawling waterfront mansion at Darling Point to Mr Silberman’s home.
He joined Mr Silberman in the dining room where the pair spoke about a property that was listed for sale. The conversation soon turned into a dispute, police said.
The court heard Teplitsky “raised his index finger and touched the victim’s forehead”, before eventually leaving the property.
Mr Silberman reported the incident to police the following day and Teplitsky was arrested 10 days later.
In an interview with police, Teplitsky claimed the civil court case was the basis for the animosity between the two men, but denied suggestions he’d entered Mr Silberman’s property uninvited.
He was charged with unlawful entry on enclosed lands and two counts of common assault — one relating to the alleged assault of another property developer, David Markovsky, in a separate incident.
Teplitsky initially pleaded not guilty to the charges and the matter was set down for hearing yesterday but, in a last-minute deal with prosecutors, he agreed to plead guilty to one count of common assault, in exchange for the withdrawal of the remaining two charges.
It is the second assault Teplitsky has pleaded guilty to in less than six months after the 53-year-old founder of developer Rommark admitted slapping prominent eastern suburbs lawyer Darian Iacano in October last year.
Teplitsky had been due to fight the charge in May, but pleaded guilty at the 11th hour and was spared a criminal conviction.
Magistrate Miranda Moody took the same action yesterday and found the offence proven but did not record a conviction after Teplitsky’s lawyer, Brian Wrench, confirmed his client had apologised to Mr Silberman.
Teplitsky flashed a thumbs up to the media as he left the courthouse.
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