The Snitch: James Mathison uses delivery disguise to attend court incognito

Despite media waiting for him to arrive in court to face corporate charges, former Oz Idol host James Mathison managed to sneak in without being recognised. The Snitch reveals how.

Former Australian Idol host James Mathison is a recognisable man – yet somehow he strolled into court and was completely missed by the media waiting for him outside.

Mathison managed to get through the only door into the Downing Centre Local Court on March 15 to plead guilty to two corporate charges – related to the liquidation of a company – without being spotted or photographed. How did he manage this, you ask?

Well, we’re told he was spotted inside the court complex disguised as a Deliveroo driver.

Yep, James, you got us, nicely done.

The former Australian Idol host and political candidate’s familiar face could barely be seen behind a Covid mask, a pair of sunnies with a helmet on top of his head. Adding extra authenticity, we’re told he was holding a Deliveroo bag.

We contacted Mathison’s lawyer Lauren MacDougall who said her client would be making no comment on the matter.

James Mathison managed to avoid media at court by wearing a disguise. Picture: Tony Gough

Mathison was appearing in court to be sentenced on charges of failing to provide financial documents to liquidators who were appointed to his company that collapsed under the weight of $120,000 in unpaid tax.

Mathison formally entered guilty pleas and escaped a conviction.

We presume he put the disguise back on because no one spotted him on the way out of the court either.

On Friday, an ATO spokeswoman would not confirm if the tax bill had been settled.

It’s the first time we’ve heard of someone wearing a disguise to escape the media’s glare at court. It will probably catch on.

So look out for 302 Deliveroo drivers making their way into court tomorrow morning.

Houda’s Houdini hound case over

The most unusual of court cases featuring lawyer Adam Houda’s dog, Lucy, has taken another odd turn.

Houda, who usually appears in court to defend all manner of clients ranging from accused terrorists to NRL stars in trouble, was listed to appear in Campbelltown Local Court for a hearing on June 27 where he was defending himself against two counts of not keeping a dog under control in a public place.

But that won’t happen now after lawyers representing Campbelltown Council told the court on April 1 that both charges were being withdrawn.

Lawyer Adam Houda was defending himself against charges relating to his dog.

The lawyer’s dog Lucy captured on video opening a gate on his property.

The charges related to Houda’s two-year-old german shepherd which has a knack of escaping from his property. Houda has even posted a video on social media showing Lucy opening the latch on his gate.

When contacted on Friday, Houda told Snitch the charges were withdrawn because they simply did not fit the situation.

“It was the wrong offence,” Houda said.

“Those charges are for a situation where you are walking a dog on the street without a leash.”

He said the council has not proceeded with any other fines or charges because “there would be problems with those too”.

After trying a lock, only to have Lucy chew through the fence, Houda said: “I’ve now got an electric shock collar that prevents (Lucy) from approaching the fence.

“It makes me sad … but I’ve tried many things and that was the 11th option.”

A spokesman for Campbelltown Council did not return calls to answer whether the council planned to continue its pursuit of Houda and his dog.

Quote of the week

Ex-soldier Ben Roberts-Smith’s barrister Arthur Moses SC in the Federal Court in relation to an application by Nine’s lawyers to obtain privileged documents: “Our friends, your honour, have, as it were, pulled the trigger prematurely, in respect of this, and it has become a bit messy for them because they should have waited until the appropriate time during the trial for them to do this, but this is what happens when you do something prematurely.”

Was that a triple entendre? Snitch needs a lie down.

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