Melbourne dad Adam Brookman pleads guilty to foreign incursion charge
A Melbourne nurse and father of five has pleaded guilty to a single foreign incursion charge putting to end a six-year legal battle.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A Melbourne nurse and father of five has pleaded guilty to a single foreign incursion charge putting to end a six-year legal battle.
Adam Brookman, 45, was previously charged with two offences in 2015 in relating to working for the Islamic State in Syria.
But on Wednesday Brookman pleaded guilty to one count of performing services in support or promotion of the commission of an offence under the Crimes (Foreign Incursions and Recruitment) Act.
No details of the new offence were read during the brief hearing but the court heard the offending related to a period between May and July 2014.
It is understood the charge to which he has admitted to does not include him being a member of, or working for, Islamic State (ISIS) or any other terrorist organisation.
The hearing before Justice Jane Dixon follows a protracted legal fight involving Australian Federal Police and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The court heard Brookman had indicated to his lawyers his intention to plead guilty shortly before 10am on Wednesday morning following weeks of pre-trial argument.
Wearing a grey jumper and sporting a bushy grey beard, Brookman simply responded “guilty” when asked how he pleaded to the charge.
During the arraignment, Brookman confirmed his last occupation was as a nurse and had been living in Coolaroo before his arrest.
Justice Dixon told the court it had been “a long road” and thanked the legal team and investigators for their hard work during the complex case.
“I would like to acknowledge the hard work of all involved … and the level of complexity attached,” Justice Dixon said.
Justice Dixon said Brookman’s guilty plea meant the court was now able to proceed with other cases sooner – “so I thank you everyone involved”.
Brookman was arrested upon his return to Australia from Turkey in July 2015.
He had previously said he went to Syria as a nurse and was forced to join IS.
He will face a plea hearing on May 14 and was remanded in custody.
Coward punch thug to spend years in jail for vicious Southbank attack
A man who dealt a catastrophic coward punch to his victim during a cocaine-fuelled night out looked at his loved ones in disbelief after learning he would spend years behind bars.
‘She was preyed upon’: Mushroom victim’s family demand answers
Rachael Dixon’s grieving parents have spoken for the first time since their daughter’s death, alleging a trusted friend took advantage of her at a health retreat in regional Victoria.