Disgraced former Auburn deputy mayor Salim Mehajer has been sentenced to seven years and nine months in prison after being convicted of numerous serious offences, including domestic violence and fraud. The sentencing, which occurred in May 2023, was initially kept under wraps due to a non-publication order, but that order has now been lifted. Mehajer, 38, was found guilty by a jury of brutally attacking his ex-girlfriend during multiple violent incidents throughout their relationship.
The court heard harrowing details of the abuse, which included Mehajer suffocating, punching, and threatening to kill his former partner during four separate incidents. In one instance, he punched her in the head 10 times while driving to a restaurant, and in another, he violently squeezed her hand, shattering her phone and causing glass fragments to injure her thumb. In two other episodes, Mehajer pinned her against a wall and threatened to kill her family before attacking her, and in a final act of brutality, he covered her nose and mouth, causing her to black out.
Alongside these domestic violence charges, Mehajer was convicted of multiple fraud-related offences, including forging signatures to gain financial advantage. His sentence, which was backdated to 2022, includes a non-parole period of three years and six months, making him eligible for release in July 2025. His maximum sentence expires in October 2029.
Mehajer’s legal troubles don’t end there. He is also awaiting sentencing for other offences, including staging a car crash in 2017 to avoid a court hearing and falsely nominating other people for traffic violations. These cases are expected to be resolved next month.
Mehajer first came to public attention in 2015 after his extravagant wedding, which featured helicopters, a fighter jet, and a fleet of luxury cars, caused widespread outrage for shutting down streets in Sydney’s west. Since then, his once-lavish lifestyle has unraveled, with business failings and a series of legal battles leading to his downfall.
Following the lifting of the non-publication order, Mehajer’s ex-girlfriend released a statement expressing her relief and gratitude for the support she received, vowing to rebuild her life.
