Key evidence in Sydney eastern suburbs anti-Semitic ‘hate crime’

A person charged over his alleged position in a criminal offense spree throughout Sydney’s jap suburbs through which a automotive was torched and buildings had been scrawled with anti-Semitic graffiti was recognized by a solid on his arm, prosecutors declare, a courtroom has heard.

Thomas Stojanovski appeared within the Supreme Court docket in Sydney on Friday in an effort to be launched on bail after spending virtually three months in jail on remand.

The 20-year-old Arncliffe man was arrested in November over his alleged position in an incident through which one automotive was set alight and ten automobiles and three properties had been graffitied at Woollahra in November final yr.

Justice Julia Lonergan on Friday described the incident as a “hate crime”.

Mr Stojanovski appeared in courtroom on Friday through videolink from Parklea jail, with the courtroom being informed that prosecutors allege he may very well be recognized in CCTV of the incident by a solid he had on his wrist.

Photos of his arrest present he had a solid on his left arm on the time.

However, the courtroom was informed, his legal professionals dispute {that a} solid may very well be seen on both of the 2 folks captured on the imaginative and prescient.

Emergency companies raced to Wellington St, Woollahra simply after midnight on November 21 final yr after a automotive was set alight.

Hearth and Rescue NSW extinguished the fireplace however the automotive was destroyed, with one other car additionally receiving minor injury on account of the blaze.

No accidents had been reported.

Vehicles alongside Wellington St, Tara St, Fullerton St and Ocean St had been defaced with anti-Israeli graffiti, with automobiles coated with white spray paint studying “f*** Israel”.

Three buildings, together with the Matt Moran-owned Chiswick restaurant, had been additionally graffitied.

The entire injury invoice was estimated by police to be as much as $100,000.

Mr Stojanovski was arrested at his Arncliffe house every week later earlier than being charged with 21 offences.

That included 14 counts of destroying or damaging property, three counts of getting into land with intent to commit an indictable offence and two counts of destroying property utilizing hearth.

He’s but to enter a plea.

His barrister Peter Lange argued in courtroom on Friday that not like his co-accused, who had a Hezbollah tattoo on his neck, Mr Stojanovski was not ideologically pushed.

In November, his co-accused Mohommed Farhat was arrested at Sydney’s Worldwide Airport as he tried to board a flight for Bali.

He was charged with 21 offences – together with 14 counts of damaging and destroying property – and stays earlier than the courtroom.

The native courtroom beforehand heard that Mr Farhat has a Hezbollah tattoo on his neck.

“The alleged co-offender was discovered to be tattooed to the neck and throat which depicts photos of declared terrorist group Hezbollah,” Mr Lange informed the courtroom.

“That, in my submission, is important as a result of it demonstrates on the a part of the alleged co-offender an curiosity in such matters, if nothing else.

“Your Honour has a scarcity of fabric that reveals that (Mr Stojanovski) is pushed by ideology.”

Mr Lange argued {that a} search warrant was executed on his house and there was “not one shred of proof” that he was pushed by extremist ideology.

“What Your Honour has is a younger man, presumably immature at such an age, going alongside and – if confirmed towards him – committing offences which undoubtedly weren’t merely distasteful however distressing to some members of the neighborhood,” Mr Lange mentioned.

Justice Lonergan interjected: “To all members of the neighborhood. Racial hate is distressing to everyone.”

Mr Lange replied: “Fairly proper.”

The Crown opposed Mr Stojanovski’s bail utility.

Justice Lonergan will hand down her choice on the bail utility subsequent Tuesday.