CCTV of anti-Israeli ‘hate crime’ vandalism in Woollahra shown in court

CCTV footage of a part of a crime spree in which a car was torched and buildings were vandalised with anti-Israel graffiti has been revealed in court.

A crime spree in which a car was torched and buildings were vandalised with anti-Israel graffiti has been slammed as having an “overwhelming level of abhorrence” as footage was shown in court.

Thomas Stojanovski, 20, appeared in the NSW Supreme Court on Friday to make a bid to be released from custody after three months behind bars on remand.

He has been charged with participating in a crime spree in which one car was set alight and ten vehicles and three properties were vandalised at Woollahra, in Sydney’s east, in November last year.

One of the properties targeted was celebrity chef Matt Moran’s Chiswick restaurant, which was spray painted with “F**k Israel”.

Matt Moran’s Chiswick restaurant was vandalised on November 21, 2024. Picture: NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

CCTV video played in court depicted the moment two men approached the building while wearing hooded jumpers and track pants.

One of the men can be seen using a spray can to vandalise the building while the second figure stands behind him, using a torch on his phone to illuminate the scene.

The second man can be seen moving from side to side and appears to be filming the first man as he sprays the restaurant.

Prosecutors allege Mr Stojanovski was holding the phone and acted as the videographer.

He was also allegedly involved in vandalising two other buildings, setting fire to a car, and spraying graffiti on cars along Wellington St, Tara St, Fullerton St and Ocean St.

Mr Stojanovski has been charged with 21 offences, including 14 counts of destroying or damaging property and two counts of destroying property using fire.

Ten cars were also scrawled with anti-Israeli graffiti. Picture: NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

The total cost of the damages was estimated by police to be up to $100,000.

Justice Julia Lonergan described the incident as a “hate crime” during the first half of the bail hearing last Friday.

Prosecutors allege Mr Stojanovski can be identified in footage from the crime scenes by his distinctive Nike track pants and a cast on his left arm.

However, defence barrister Peter Lange questioned whether the pants were the same pair found in his client’s house and argued a cast could not be seen in the footage.

The court was told Mr Stojanovski had admitted to being in the car, in which a spray can was later discovered, with co-accused Mohommed Farhat hours before the vandalism.

Mr Farhat has been charged with 21 offences – including 14 counts of damaging and destroying property – and remains before the court.

The vandals targeted cars parked on four streets in Woollahra, in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. Picture: NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Mr Lange said the association between the men meant the prosecution case was “viable” but it was not “overwhelming”.

He argued there was no evidence his client was ideologically driven, unlike Mr Farhat who has a Hezbollah tattoo on his neck.

“The fact that someone has tattooed on their body their particular hatreds or views is one thing. But that doesn’t mean the court should infer the absence of a similar tattoo on Mr Stojanovski (signifies) that he doesn’t hold the racist views,” Justice Lonergan replied.

The crown prosecutor said there was “no direct evidence of his state of mind” but his agreement with the “hate speech” could be inferred from his alleged participation in the offences.

She said the location of the offences – near a Jewish hospital – and 14 instances of property damage demonstrated Mr Stojanovski and Mr Farhat were “ensuring they were targeting the property of members of the Jewish community”.

Thomas Stojanovski was arrested over his alleged role in the crime spree. Picture: NSW Police.

The crown prosecutor argued Mr Stojanovski should be denied bail because he posed a risk to the community, and cited the “underlying and overwhelming level of abhorrence attached to (the alleged offences) because of the spray painting of the slogans”.

Yet, Mr Lange maintained he should be released on bail because it was “still a matter up for debate” whether his client was the figure shown in the footage.

He said Mr Stojanovski would spend a minimum of nine months behind bars if he were not granted bail by the NSW Supreme Court.

Justice Lonergan deferred her decision on bail until March 5, noting the matter had “a lot of curly twists and turns” to consider.