Salim Mehajer seeks bail despite Supreme Court date

Salim Mehajer has asked a local court if he can make a bail application, despite having a separate Supreme Court date set.

Salim Mehajer has sought bail despite an impending Supreme Court date. Picture: David Swift.

Controversial Sydney property developer Salim Mehajer has this morning asked a local court if he can make a bail application, despite having a separate Supreme Court date set for late next month.

Mr Mehajer sent a letter to the Burwood Local Court seeking a bail application, however such an application requires he prove there has been a material change to his circumstances.

It is understood the court will ask Mr Mehajer to provide details of how his circumstances have changed before making a decision of whether to formally hear his application.

The embattled property developer, who was arrested last month over alleged insurance fraud involving a car crash, has twice had requests to make bail applications refused.

Earlier this month Mr Mehajer unsuccessfully argued he should be given another chance to apply for bail after The Australian published an article which he said was “embarrassing”.

The Australian published an interview with Alex Arnold, an accused jewel thief, who shared a cell with Mr Mehajer for several nights in Sydney’s CBD Surry Hills Police Station.

Mr Arnold said Mr Mehajer regularly wore only a towel and had refused to clean the toilet and that the pair had given each other back massages.

The article was tendered to Burwood Local Court on February 7, with Mr Mehjaer’s barrister, Anthony Bellanto QC, arguing it had “materially changed” Mr Mehajer’s situation.

“The problem for Mr Mehajer is that, through no fault of his own, he was housed in a cell with an alleged jewel thief who went public — I will infer for money, and I don’t have any evidence of that,” Mr Bellanto told the court.

The Australian did not pay any money, or provide any other form of consideration to Mr Arnold.

The crown solicitor argued against the application arguing Mr Mehajer had repeatedly placed in self in the public eye by his own choices.

Alex Arnold shared a cell with Salim Mehajer.

Magistrate Mark Richardson said the article and the offer of a $100,000 surety to be provided by Mr Mehajer’s sister Zenah Osman, a lawyer, did not provide grounds to permit a new bail application.

Mr Mehajer has bail application court date set for March 29 in the NSW Supreme Court.