EXCLUSIVE: John Ibrahim’s former bodyguard known as ‘The Muscle’ says he can ‘smile again’ as he avoids jail over ‘menacing’ crimes
- A man best known as John Ibrahim’s former bodyguard walks free from court
- Neil Cummins was sentenced over ‘demand with menace’, intimidation offences
- The offences related to a 2014 extortion case in Coffs Harbour, NSW
- Bodybuilder said he can ‘smile again’ as he was given community service
- Still fuming after he was described as being one of Australia’s most wanted
John Ibrahim’s former bodyguard, known as ‘The Muscle’, says he is ‘smiling again’ after avoiding jail over intimidation and ‘demand with menace’ charges.
Neil Cummins was sentenced by the NSW District Court on Friday for two offences relating to a 2014 extortion case in Coffs Harbour, on the state’s north coast.
The hulking, 122kg, 6 foot 4 bodybuilder was hit with an 18 month jail term, but walked free as he will serve the sentence in the community.
Neil ‘The Muscle’ Cummins – best known as one of John Ibrahim’s former bodyguards – said he was relieved to avoid jail for extortion offences last Friday
![Cummins is best known as a bodyguard for Kings Cross nightclub identity John Ibrahim. Its not suggested Ibrahim has any involvement with Cummins' criminal matters](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/10/08/00/19419314-7548233-image-m-6_1570492359148.jpg)
![Pictured above with his former wife Tiffany Wood, a singer in reality television pop group, Bardot](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/10/08/00/19419306-7548233-image-a-7_1570492365725.jpg)
Cummins, left, with his former boss, Kings Cross identity John Ibrahim, who its not suggested has any involvement with Cummins’ criminal matters. On right, with his ex-wife Tiffany Wood, a singer in the reality TV pop group Bardot
Cummins, the ex-husband of one time Bardot singer Tiffany Wood, posted a happy photo to Instagram saying he was ‘#smilingagain #movingforward #gladitsover’.
But the celebrity security guard is still fuming after he was described in media reports as one of Australia’s ‘most wanted’ fugitives two years ago.
NSW Police released Cummins’ name and picture alongside 20 wanted fugitives in a 2017 social media campaign called ‘Operation Roam’.
The fugitives whose identities were posted on Facebook and Twitter included Cummins as well as accused sex offenders and murderers.
But Cummins told media at the time that he actually had no idea police wanted to speak to him.
He said couldn’t understand why police didn’t contact him on social media – he regularly posts Instagram pictures of his gym workouts – or approach him directly.
‘I just don’t understand why they (police) wouldn’t come and see me,’ he told the Daily Telegraph.
It’s still a sore point today, with Cummins firing off a scathing message after being contacted by Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday.
‘To put me on Australia’s Most Wanted List with all of these losers, sex offenders and murderers was a joke,’ he said.
![Cummins in a wanted picture released by NSW Police in 2017. He later approached police](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/10/08/03/19419310-7548233-Cummins_in_a_wanted_picture_released_by_NSW_Police_in_2017-a-20_1570502348546.jpg)
Cummins in a wanted picture released by NSW Police in 2017. He later approached police
‘At the time I didn’t have a criminal record … Tell me why my name should be put through sh** for 3 years when my offence was nowhere near the scale (of) offences of these other people.’
But police said the fact he surfaced was proof the operation worked.
‘He’s on this list because police would like to talk to him in regard to various matters they are investigating,’ CrimeStoppers boss Peter Prison said.
‘The fact that he’s made contact (with media) means that Operation Roam is working.’
Cummins is well known as he served for years on Ibrahim’s security detail and has described how he used to ‘run amuck’ with John’s brother Fadi. There is no suggestion either had any connection to Cummins’ criminal matters.
Cummins was born in Liverpool, England, and wrote a book about his experiences with Sydney’s underbelly.
He claimed today that he ‘will get’ a public apology for his inclusion on the wanted list.