Andrew Sackl asks for more time after failing to raise cash to pay for legal defence

A frustrated magistrate has blasted a Wesley College alumnus for wasting his time, threatening to send the failed businessman straight to trial to face charges of giving false testimony.

Andrew Sackl is facing five charges related to giving false testimony and fabricating evidence. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

A man once dubbed Melbourne’s ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ is crying poor over his inability to pay for a legal defence against charges dating back to 2018.

Andrew Sackl on Wednesday fronted Melbourne Magistrates Court in a fifth attempt to progress his matter to a hearing that would determine if it should go to trial.

The failed businessman, 35, appeared in a sharp suit but without the legal team that had previously represented him.

Mr Sackl, 35, told the court he was unemployed and struggling to find the money to pay for a lawyer. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

He asked the court to once again adjourn his committal hearing over charges that he fabricated evidence and gave false testimony during court proceedings in 2018 and 2019.

Mr Sackl told the court he was unemployed and struggling to find the money to pay Wyndham Partners to continue to act on his behalf.

He said he had applied for legal aid on Tuesday, the day before his hearing.

A frustrated magistrate Leon Fluxman told Mr Sackl he was wasting the court’s time.

“Why he shouldn’t I commit you to stand trial in the County Court?” he said

“You’ve done nothing about progressing this matter … there is evidence of sufficient weight to commit you to stand trial.”

Mr Fluxman then asked Mr Sackl if he was “trying to delay matters because you’re out on bail”.

Mr Sackl acknowledged that his last minute application for legal aid was “unacceptable” but explained he had been “trying hard to get funds together to pay for a barrister to progress the matter”.

The prosecutor said it was “highly uncertain private funding would come through” for Mr Sackl and suggested setting a date for a committal hearing.

The move would provide an “end time to work towards” and the matter would not “end up languishing in the system any further than it has already”.

Mr Fluxman agreed, but warned Mr Sackl that it was only by “the good graces of the prosecution” that he was not committing him to stand trial.

The committal hearing have been scheduled for October.