Activist and alleged kidnapper Mohammad Sharab has bail refused after contact with co-conspirator

A Melbourne magistrate has refused bail to pro-Palestine activist Mohammad Sharab after he was found to have multiple instances of contact with one of his co-conspirators in the alleged high-profile kidnapping and serious assault of a Melbourne man.

Mohammad Sharab at a pro-Palestine in Melbourne. Picture: Brendan Beckett

Pro-Palestine activist Mohammad Sharab has had his application for bail refused after he was found to have multiple instances of contact with one of his co-conspirators in the alleged high-profile kidnapping and serious assault of a Melbourne man.

The 37-year-old appeared ­before the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday via video link from custody for his almost two-hour bail application hearing. Mr Sharab was granted bail, alongside Laura Allam and another co-accused, whose identity is suppressed, earlier this year over the alleged abduction of a 31-year-old on the eve of February 16.

However, the activist had his bail revoked on July 22 over revelations captured on CCTV that he had contact with the unnamed co-accused, through his father, on June 23, June 30 and July 21 at pro-Palestine protests.

Mr Sharab has also breached his bail conditions by failing to report to Brunswick police station on four occasions.

Mr Sharab’s bail conditions prohibited him from communicating with the co-accused, or the co-accused’s father as he would be a “direct communication channel” between the pair.

Louis Andrews, appearing for the Director of Public Prosecutions, told the court he opposed the application as Mr Sharab presented an “unacceptable risk” of interfering with witnesses, ­obstructing the course of justice and endangering the safety and welfare of any person.

Police constable Daniel Rees said the breaches demonstrate Mr Sharab’s “blatant disregard” for the serious charges he was facing and expressed concern that contact between the two alleged ­offenders posed risks to court proceedings and the police investigation. “There is a fourth offender unidentified at this stage … that has some weight in them speaking,” he said.

“I’ve touched base with the victim in the matter … he is still in fear, he still has nightmares at night, he still has a significant amount of grief.

“I spoke to him and he was not supportive of Mr Sharab receiving bail today.”

The court heard that the ­accused’s bail guarantor, who is also Mr Sharab’s employer, is also on bail for criminal damage and wilful damage to Labor MP Tim Watts’ office on May 29. The bail guarantor has been charged multiple times with obtained property deception in 2003, motor vehicle theft and theft.

Media outlets reported on the vandalism to the Assistant Foreign Minister’s office and blamed pro-Palestine activists, however the motive of the incident was not specified in court.

Defence lawyer Tim Smurthwaite said the contact between his client and the other co-­accused was “fleeting” and that Mr Sharab should be released under new conditions that would prohibit him from attending weekly protests and that his bail guarantor would have to put up a $10,000 surety.

Laura Allam.

He said Mr Sharab had lost relatives in a Middle East war and was experiencing grief as well as “prison burden”.

“If the situation was there was any evidence of … or any indication there had been any attempt to contact witnesses or the complainant then the situation would be completely different,” Mr Smurthwaite told the magistrate.