The Snitch: Celeb stylist arrested in sting set up by pharmacist

How did a celeb stylist get caught in a drug sting? Which underworld figure’s record of in-prison charges is out in the open? And who’s the troubled lawyer set for a spell on the sidelines? The Snitch is here.

A court make-under for Point Piper celebrity stylist Kelly Smythe.

A well known celebrity stylist was arrested in a police sting set up by a pharmacist after she allegedly used a bogus story too many times to buy prescription drugs.

Point Piper’s Kelly Smythe allegedly used the same fake identity twice in two months when telling staff she needed an “early dispensary” of the drugs to travel to New Zealand, according to a police fact sheet tendered to court.

The 48-year-old, who has worked for Channel 7 and dressed Jennifer Hawkins and Rihanna, allegedly told staff at Paddington Compounding Pharmacy that her name was Julia Boyd.

She also allegedly passed off a prescription from a Tamworth-based doctor when buying about 900 stimulant tablets and capsules on two visits to the Oxford St pharmacy in February and May, the facts said.

Kelly Smythe. Picture: Supplied

Suspicious about the second purchase on May 15, the pharmacist contacted the doctor who confirmed they had not worked in Tamworth since 2021 and did not have a Julia Boyd as a patient.

The pharmacist called police who waited outside the Paddington pharmacy for Ms Smythe to pick up her second order.

The officers followed the stylist back to her black Lexus where they arrested her.

She spent a night in the slammer before being released on bail in the Dowling Centre Local Court, where her lawyer Stephen Alexander told Magistrate Sharon Freund that his client “knows she needs to stay on the straight and narrow”.

Things have since gotten worse for the stylist.

Police investigations revealed that Ms Smythe allegedly attended the pharmacy every 20 days for two years and used fraudulent scripts to buy drugs.

They have since charged her with a further 17 offences, taking the tally to 21.

Stay tuned.

PRISON RECORD

Omar Haouchar’s record for committing offences while behind bars does nothing to cool his reputation as one of the city’s most feared underworld figures.

Haouchar’s record of offences committed in jail, and the punishments he received, have been released by the NSW Supreme Court.

Those matters were considered by the court as Haouchar awaits its decision as to whether he should be released on bail as he awaits trial after being charged with conspiring to murder underworld rival Andre Kallita.

Omar Haouchar’s prison mug shot.

And while it doesn’t top the record of older brother and alleged crime syndicate boss Bilal for the number of entries on his record versus time spent in jail, it goes close.

Haouchar amassed 30 charges for in-prison incidents between 2013 and 2023.

They resulted in punishments ranging from spending a week in his cell, banishment from buy ups and having a block placed on visits from friends and family.

His first infraction in September 2013 was listed only as “indecency”, for which he received two weeks off contact visits.

In 2014, he was locked in his cell for a week for participating in a prison riot.

He clocked up five charges for fighting or physical combat and spent almost two weeks confined to his cell as a result.

The 33-year-old has also been punished for unlawfully using a phone, possessing prohibited goods, possessing a camera or recording equipment.

Bilal was charged with breaking jail rules 42 times.

SPELL FOR BANNISTER

Troubled lawyer Charles Bannister has been ordered to take a spell on the sidelines of the legal profession.

It follows a period where the solicitor was faced with allegations of bombarding his glamorous ex with expletive laden texts.

It is a dramatic fall for Bannister, who was once attempting to engineer the expansion of British class action law firm Pogust Goodhead into Australia.

Lawyer Charles Bannister with ex Dani Morris.

According to the Office of the Legal Services Commissioner, the NSW Law Society has refused to renew his practising certificate up until June 30.

It is not known what will occur after that date.

The Law Society has also appointed a manager to his practice for two years.

Bannister is seeking to have his charges dealt with under mental health legislation and the matter will be back in court next month.

He did not answer calls on Saturday.

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