Woollahra vandal granted bail

Last week Mohommed Farhat, 21, was granted conditional bail after being arrested and charged with spray-painting antisemitic messages and setting a car alight in Sydney’s east in November.

On Friday, the NSW Supreme Court heard allegations that Farhat had researched the location of a Sydney Jewish hospital before his alleged acts that targeted 10 cars and three buildings in Woollahra. The vandalism took place near the Wolper Jewish Hospital and Emanuel Synagogue.

Shortly after his alleged acts, Farhat was arrested at Sydney’s international airport and charged with 21 offences, including 14 counts of damaging and destroying property.

During Friday’s hearing Justice Richard Weinstein said that Farhat “told the psychiatrist that ‘people were getting in his head'”. Farhat’s barrister Rebekah Rodger also told the court her client faced a “risk of radicalisation in custody”. She presented evidence that her client had no prior criminal history and was not attempting to flee the country by submitting a Jetstar receipt suggesting that Farhat’s travel plans were a holiday booked with his partner.

Justice Weinstein said there was no real evidence about radicalisation and Farhat has not been charged with a terrorism offence.