Legal, political woes mount for Mehajer

Deputy mayor Salim Mehajer has pleaded not guilty to intimidation a day after his council voted to call for his removal.

Salim Mehajer, deputy mayor of Auburn, departs Burwood Local Court, in Sydney.

Salim Mehajer, deputy mayor of Auburn, departs Burwood Local Court, in Sydney. Source: AAP

Salim Mehajer, the controversial deputy mayor of Auburn, is fighting battles on several fronts as a series of potentially career-damaging legal and political woes come to a head.

On the morning after most of his fellow Auburn councillors passed a vote seeking his resignation, Mehajer fronted Burwood Local Court where he pleaded not guilty to one count of intimidation on Thursday.

It's alleged Mehajer told personal trainer Bruce Herat - the father of Sydney siege survivor Joel Herat - that he would kidnap his children during an argument at a Burwood gym in September.

According to court documents, the stoush started after Mr Herat allegedly asked Mehajer not to drop weights during his workout - an act considered in breach of the gym's rules.

During the confrontation, Mehajer is alleged to have said, "Who the f**k are you to talk to me?" and, "F**k you ... Don't you know who I am?"

Mehajer allegedly subsequently threatened Mr Herat outside the gym, saying, "I'm going find out where you live motherf**ker and kidnap your children".

When Mr Herat suggested the pair have the conversation in front of police, Mehajer said, "I've got contacts in the police that will make it very bad for you," court documents state.

The court appearance came after Auburn council passed a motion six-to-two on Wednesday night that Mehajer "ought to consider resigning".

Councillor Irene Simms said since Mehajer's now-infamous wedding in August this year, which shut down several western Sydney streets, there had been many negative reports.

"It is damaging the reputation of the council," she told AAP.

But Ms Simms holds little hope the controversial figure will vacate the role, while Mehajer is resolute.

After appearing at Bankstown Local Court on Wednesday to plead guilty to driving without a licence, Mehajer told reporters he absolutely should remain in his position of deputy mayor.

He denied a charge of driving the Ferrari, with number plate 00-BO55 (as in BOSS), while it was unregistered at Punchbowl in Sydney's southwest in October.

On the same day another court in Sydney heard the legal battle over his lavish staircase at his western Sydney home had been settled after the director of marble supply company Marmonyx Stone, Yashar Shokrgozar, accused Mehajer of failing to pay for its installation.

However, another legal headache surfaced with cleaner Anping Yan claiming the deputy mayor had failed to pay debts for 10 months.

Mehajer is due to face court again in January on the intimidation charge and February for the driving offences.


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Source: AAP



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