Lawyer says Salim Mehajer was 'sick puppy in love'
Salim Mehajer has been described as a “sick puppy in love” by his lawyer as he was convicted for intimidating his estranged wife.
The former Auburn deputy mayor has remained in Silverwater Jail following the hearing on Thursday.
He was accused of threatening his estranged wife, Aysha Learmonth, and sending her 400 text messages she did not reply to.
“He was a sick puppy. He was still in love with her,” lawyer Zali Burrows told Burwood court in Sydney.
She added Mr Mehajer was now in love with another woman and had “no interest in contacting Ms Learmonth again”.
Mr Mehajer married Ms Learmonth in an epic ceremony in August 2015.
Magistrate Jacqueline Trad said the community had an expectation that these types of matters would be dealt with in a way that demonstrated domestic violence would not be tolerated.
The magistrate convicted Mr Mehajer for intimidating Ms Learmonth and placed him on an 18-month good-behaviour bond.
Mr Mehajer appealed and Ms Burrows said outside court “he is only guilty of loving his wife, not guilty of intimidation”.
Thursday’s matter follows a growing list of offences Mr Mehajer has been found guilty of.
They include two assaults, as well as electoral fraud, for which he will be sentenced for in the coming months.
