A man has been acquitted of stalking Israeli President Isaac Herzog during the leader’s visit to Sydney but has received a sentence for intimidating a security guard outside a Jewish kindergarten.
Rajab Ali has been given an 18-month community corrections order with a conviction recorded, contingent on a good behavior bond.
After the hearing, Ali expressed his regret, stating, “Sorry everyone for wasting your time.”
During Herzog’s visit to Sydney, where he honored the victims of the December Bondi Beach terrorist attack, Ali was arrested in February. New South Wales Police accused the 45-year-old of stopping his vehicle in Haymarket to film the president and using offensive language.
Initially charged with stalking or intimidating with the intent to instill fear of physical harm, those charges were dropped by the police prosecutor on Wednesday.
Ali instead admitted to behaving offensively near a school, linked to an incident involving a security guard outside a Jewish kindergarten in Bondi Junction. The court was informed that he was live streaming on social media when he passed the early learning center, later returning to direct his phone at the guard.
During the confrontation, the judge noted that Ali insulted the guard by calling him a “gronk and dog” before fleeing the scene as law enforcement arrived.
Ali’s attorney, Mohamed Al-Fadhli, argued that his client’s behavior was “compulsive and situational,” emphasizing it was not part of any “ongoing or targeted behavior.” He also indicated that Ali did not know the security guard was stationed outside a Jewish institution and that his comments were not aimed at the nature of the location.
Following a prior court appearance in March, Ali was taken into custody under a detention application. The judge acknowledged that Ali had spent over 30 days at Parklea Correctional Centre before imposing the 18-month community corrections order with a recorded conviction.
This sentence requires him to adhere to a good behavior bond and prohibits him from approaching the school within 100 meters. Additionally, Ali pleaded guilty to using his phone while driving, resulting in an $800 fine.
The judge highlighted Ali’s extensive criminal history, which dates back to 1999 and includes domestic violence-related offenses and violations of apprehended violence orders. The court noted that his traffic record was extensive, spanning too many pages to be printed.
