The Snitch: Brothel madam Suzelle Antic charged with stalking and assault

Why has a famous brothel madam been charged? Which bar boss has been accused of brawling on a dance floor? And why don’t democracy and justice go together? The Snitch is here.

One of Sydney’s most well-known brothel madams has been charged with stalking and assault offences.

Suzelle Antic, the former owner of infamous Sydney bordellos A Touch of Class and Misty’s, faced Fairfield Local Court on Wednesday charged with intimidation, entering enclosed lands, common assault, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The 55-year-old is also the subject of an interim AVO to protect Laith Gendo.

More will be revealed later in the year, with Magistrate Michael Ong setting the matter down for hearing on September 19.

Antic has kept a low profile over the past decade, but the legendary tales associated with brothels have long intrigued Sydney.

Brothel madame Suzelle Antic.

Former polo enthusiast Kerry Packer.

A Touch of Class opened in 1972 and the Surry Hills brothel became part of the city’s social fabric.

It was famous for being a favourite among Sydney’s political, business and criminal power players who wanted to get their rocks off.

Late business titan Kerry Packer reportedly hired the whole establishment for his polo team.

In 2006, Misty’s was forced out of its Potts Point location because it was operating next to a Catholic girls’ school.

TOBIAS’ “BIG” DRAMAS

Bar boss Julian Tobias has been charged over an alleged Melbourne Cup Day brawl with colourful businessman “Big” Jim Byrnes.

The news comes a week after Snitch revealed Byrnes had been charged after the pair came to blows on the dancefloor inside Double Bay’s Bedouin nightclub on Cup Day in 2023.

Julian Tobias is charged with affray.

Jim Byrnes is charged with assault and affray.

We can now reveal Tobias will face Downing Centre Local Court for the first time on Friday.

The 44-year-old, who until semi-recently was dating 19-year-old Onlyfans model Paris Ow-Yang, will answer to one count of affray.

Byrnes, a one time financial adviser to billionaire Alan Bond, is charged with one count of common assault and another of affray.

The businessman is charged with assaulting a man he claims to have witnessed sexually touching an intoxicated woman.

Police will allege Tobias, who was working as a DJ, is a friend of the man and intervened.

DEMOCRACY v JUSTICE

Last week’s Federal Election could be about to spell trouble for a big-time criminal case.

When she’s not shooting for a spot in the Upper House as a Labor politician, Emilija Beljic is also a defence barrister.

And she was locked and loaded to act in the massive tax fraud trial involving Adrian Metly and others that is due to start any week now.

The highly complex case has been on foot since 2020 and is estimated to run for five months.

But that is now at risk with Ms Beljic’s political candidacy.

She was third on Labor’s senate ticket.

And with Albo’s landslide result political pundits have listed as “likely” as being elected with results still being finalised.

So what does that mean for the case if she gets elected?

“She will have to hand the brief (of evidence) back and another barrister will have to come into it,” one legal source said.

It’s apparently got a few noses out of joint, considering how long the case has been going and the likelihood that it will now be delayed.

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