New life: criminal ex-detainee Abdelmoez Mohamed Elawad happy to be walking the streets

Fresh out of prison, a former immigration detainee has vowed to stay out of trouble, despite racking up more than 200 charges in Australia | WATCH

Convicted criminal Abdelmoez Mohamed Elawad enjoying his freedom in Footscray after being granted bail on Monday. Picture: Mohammad Alfares

With his tracking anklet clearly visible, strapped to his left leg, a former immigration detainee was enjoying a morning mingle and coffee in downtown Footscray as he declared the “bad spirits” had gone and he was “born new” since a court granted his freedom two days ago.

Abdelmoez Mohamed Elawad, freed on bail by the Victorian Supreme Court on Monday, was smiling and calmly enjoying another taste of freedom with his friends in the chilly morning air.

The 45-year-old Sudanese-born man – one of 159 immigration detainees released after the High Court’s NZYQ ruling – was seen sporting an orange hat and a denim jacket.

Elawad was freed despite racking up more than 208 criminal charges, including 18 convictions for possessing weapons and a string of violent assaults and breaching curfews.

Speaking with The Australian on Wednesday, Elawad said he was surrounded by friends from his community, predominantly of Sudanese descent, and was happy with the Supreme Court’s decision to bail him. He vowed to stay out of trouble.

“I feel proud, I feel amazing, I feel like (I’m) born new and I’m fresh because I (released) all of the bad energy out of my body,” he said.

Elawad credited judge ­Michael Croucher’s decision to release him with giving him ­renewed hope and a chance to turn his life around.

“I’m so happy about (the) Supreme Court and I’ve god bless them, I promised (them) a good future,” he said.

Elawad also told The Australian he had “washed out all the bad spirits” since getting released on Monday. “Since I entered inside the jail, I washed out all the bad spirits from me, so I see clear now,” he said.

Elawad went on to thank the “amazing” justice system in Australia, which gave him his freedom back. “The amazing High Court (and) the Supreme Court in Australia, (they are) amazing. He (the judge) make me smile.”

The former detainee revealed that he had borderline personality disorder and memory loss, which he claims contributed to his criminal behaviour. He spoke of a tumultuous past, including a serious accident that left him disoriented and involved in various criminal offences.

“I was involved in an accident where I became sick, and at times I get lost in the system and disappear,” he said. “After my accident, I worked in business, handling money, and some community work … I also worked with drugs. That was the last step for me because I got caught.”

Elawad’s extensive and violent criminal history spans 47 pages and includes breaching bail conditions on 22 occasions. He has been convicted of possessing 18 weapons and has been ­sentenced to imprisonment 30 out of the 37 times he appeared before a court.

Despite Elawad’s hopeful outlook, commonwealth pro­secutor Olivia Cameron strongly opposed his bail on Monday, citing an Administrative Appeals Tribunal finding that he did commit violent offences, and if bailed, he was likely to commit further ­“violent crime, including actual grievous bodily harm, potentially lifelong physical and mental consequences, and possibly death”.

Elawad’s ankle bracelet. Picture: Mohammad Alfares

“The reason why the prosecution is opposing bail is we’re satisfied that the accused, if released on bail, would endanger the safety or welfare of any person, whether by committing offences that had that effect, or by any other means. And the risk to the community is unacceptable,” Ms Cameron told the court.

In an incident in April, Elawad was seen at the Courthouse Hotel in North Melbourne, potentially drug-affected and carrying a knife. The Australian revealed on Tuesday that during his interaction with police, Elawad dis­regarded a command to stop by a police officer and entered the hotel after stealing groceries from a Coles supermarket.

Ms Cameron said the accused “was thrashing about and then reached inside his pocket”. The officer believed he was reaching for a knife and disengaged.

Elawad’s community in Footscray was divided on his release. While some saw his freedom as a second chance for redemption, others were wary of the potential risks he posed. “My community doesn’t think I’m dangerous, I just get lost and people worry about me,” Elawad said.

A friend of his, who did not want to be named, said the former immigration detainee was a “changed man”.

“He was just released two days ago and everyone was happy to see him, he seems like a changed man after being jailed,” the friend said. “He’s a kind man, he’s just very sick and needs help. He was a troublemaker but I think he’s a changed man now.”

Another person The Australian spoke to in Footscray said ­Elawad was associated with “like-minded criminals,” brushing off any hope for him to change.

“I don’t think it was a good idea to release him, he’s always hanging out with like-minded criminals, just look around … everyone knows.”

The 45-year-old appeared before Justice Croucher to apply for bail on a single charge of failing to comply with his curfew condition on Monday. Justice Croucher granted him bail on four ­conditions, including residing at ­accommodation provided in west Melbourne, obeying all lawful directions given to him by psychiatrists, attend an appointment at Healthworks and accept all lawful treatment recommendations.

For now, Elawad appears committed to staying out of trouble and becoming a part of the Australian community, vowing to make the most of the opportunity granted to him by the Victorian Supreme Court.