Property developer Salim Mehajer has faced court charged with assaulting a Sydney television reporter after he allegedly slammed his car door on her.
The former Auburn deputy mayor has pleaded not guilty to the assault occasioning actual bodily harm of Channel 7 journalist Laura Banks on April 2 last year.
Mehajer, 31, appeared in the dock at Downing Centre Local Court on Monday. Police allege Banks was injured when Mehajer slammed the door of a Porche on her.
The incident took place outside Day Street police station where Mehajer had been taken early that morning after allegedly assaulting a taxi driver.
Property developer Salim Mehajer (right) has faced court charged with assaulting Sydney TV reporter Laura Banks (left) after he allegedly slammed his car door on her last April
Mehajer’s barrister Phillip Boulten, SC, asked Banks if her actions, including telling a taxi driver of Mehajer’s alleged assault, were designed to prolong the situation.
‘It was pertinent to the story,’ Banks replied, adding that she was more bemused than amused.
‘Did you ever think about whether you had reached the point where your actions crossed the boundary between proper and improper?’ Mr Boulton said.
‘I don’t believe they did,’ Banks replied on Monday.
Ms Banks added that she believed Mehajer was acting in an ‘almost suggestive’ and ‘flirtatious’ manner prior to the incident, claiming he didn’t appear to be threatened.
Mr Boulten grilled Banks on why she continually pursued Mehajer even though it was clear he did not want to comment.
‘You just never know what you’ll get with Mr Mehajer,’ Banks said
Earlier on Monday, Banks told the court she had been standing in the doorway of the Porsche trying to ask Mehajer questions when the alleged assault occurred.
‘Mr Mehajer abruptly shut the door,’ she said.
‘I was jammed in the door. My hand was bruised and also my back. I was squashed in the car.’
Her left hand caused her pain for an hour or two.
‘But my back is still quite sore,’ Banks said.
Earlier, Mehajer’s barrister Phillip Boulten, SC, told magistrate Joanne Keogh the case would come down to what appeared in footage of the incident.
‘You will almost certainly determine this case based on what you see on video tapes,’ Mr Boulten said.
‘Can you get that thing off my leg? Can you stop touching me?’ Mehajer told Ms Banks as she pushed a microphone towards him, the court heard
Taking to the witness stand on Monday morning, Banks told the court she had been standing in the doorway of the Porsche trying to ask Mehajer questions when the alleged assault occurred
‘There is no dispute she had an injured hand. No dispute about who was involved.’
The court was shown several videos of the incident taken by Channel 7 and Channel 9 cameramen.
Banks appears approaching Mehajer as he gets behind the wheel of a white Porsche with the door open.
‘Watch it, watch it,’ Mehajer warns. ‘Watch it.
‘Do you want to hop in the back seat?’ Mehajer asks. ‘Jump in, I’ll have a little chat with ya. Just jump in.’
Mehajer then closes the door, catching Banks.
Earlier videos show her asking Mehajer questions while he waits for a lift.
‘Did you assault the cab driver?’ She says. ‘Why did you assault the cab driver?
‘Is this rock bottom, Salim? Could you not afford to pay for the taxi driver last night?
‘Is that why you did what you did? A really bad day for you, hey?’
As Banks trails behind Mehajer he says: ‘Why are you so attached to me? Have some respect.’
During some of the exchanges Banks is smiling and laughing. Before Mehajer left in the Porsche he had been in the back of a cab.
As Banks trails behind Mehajer he says: ‘Why are you so attached to me? Have some respect.’
Banks is shown in one video telling the driver: ‘He’s accused of assaulting a taxi driver – how does that make you feel?’
The driver then said he would not take the fare.
While Mehajer is still in the back seat of the taxi Banks puts a microphone through the drivers seat.
The microphone becomes wedged against his leg.
‘Can you get that thing off my leg?’ Mehajer asks. ‘Can you stop touching me?’
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