Bondi accused to face judge and jury
THE NSW state prosecutor has elected for two of the men charged with the assault of a group of Jewish people in Bondi last October to face a judge and jury, rather than leave the case with the local courts.
THE NSW state prosecutor has elected for two of the men charged with the assault of a group of Jewish people in Bondi last October to face a judge and jury, rather than leave the case with the local courts.
The NSW Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has chosen to have the matter dealt with on indictment due to the seriousness of the offences committed on October 25, when a Jewish family of four and a community shaliach walking home from a Shabbat dinner were assaulted by eight men.
One of the eight men, Spartaco Marciano Di Bella, appeared before magistrate Julie Huber at Waverley Local Court on Tuesday. At the request of the DPP and Di Bella’s lawyer, his case has been adjourned until February 13, when he will appear at Sydney Central Local Court. Di Bella’s bail has been continued.
One of the co-accused, Robert Tamaki Clifford, was refused bail and did not appear. His case has also been adjourned until February 13 at Central Local Court.
Two of Di Bella and Clifford’s co-defendants are being tried as juveniles, and have been charged with breach of bail and affray.
In December, Di Bella pleaded not guilty to the charge of affray, while Clifford, still in police custody, did not enter a plea.
Clifford was charged with affray, being in possession of a knife in a public place, and assault occasioning grievous bodily harm.
Di Bella’s not guilty plea to the indictable offence of affray guarantees him the right to trial by jury under Australian law.
The assault created a media firestorm locally and overseas, with the Jewish and wider communities condemning the attacks.
The incident occurred close to midnight, when the men confronted the group, with the initial conversation descending into a fight.
The victims, a 62-year-old woman and four men aged between 27 and 66, sustained injuries including internal bleeding, a broken nose and a head injury which required stitches.
ALEXANDRA ROACH
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