A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
A QUIET café descended into chaos after a fight broke out between a bikie member and another man.
CCTV vision shows former Comanchero member Michael Sfyris’ allegedly assaulting a man at an Adelaide falafel café.
The footage reveals the bikie speaking to the man as other customers eat sit and their food.
A fight soon erupts with other men joining in the fracas before police arrive to break them up.
POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
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POSTSCRIPT 12 July 2012:
FORMER Comancheros member Michael Sfyris has been found guilty of a Hindley St assault in which he claimed he was acting in self-defence.
In dramatic scenes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Bob Harrap was forced to cut off a defiant Sfyris, 47, from his video link because he interrupted court proceedings and refused to listen to the judgment.
In handing down his reasons, Mr Harrap rejected Sfyris’ suggestion of self-defence and found his actions inside the Falafel House last year were clearly criminal.
“If the victim appears to become agitated at any stage it is simply because the defendant is in his personal space,” he said.
At that finding, Sfyris began to laugh, disrupting the court proceeding.
“Can you swear that what you’re saying is the truth?” he asked Mr Harrap.
“Can you swear before God that what you’re saying is the truth? I swear before God that I’m innocent.”
Mr Harrap cut Sfyris off, pausing to allow his lawyer, John Dillon, to speak privately to his client.
When Mr Dillon returned he told the court Sfyris had requested not to listen to his judgment, and so it proceeded in his absence.
It was not the first time Sfyris had exploded at Mr Harrap.
Before the start of his half-day trial last week, Sfyris told the court: “Youse are clowns, man. Let me out of here. This is wrong. I’m 47 years old. I’m not 20 years old. I’m not drug ….ed. I’m ….ing smart.”
In February, appearing on different charges, Sfyris called a police officer across a courtroom a “lying dog”.
“I will never let you get away with this. Are you having any nightmares yet?”
Today, Mr Harrap said the CCTV footage, tendered during his trial, clearly showed Sfyris was the instigator of the fight.
The footage showed Sfyris walking into the Falafel House and repeatedly punching the victim, who cannot be identified, before walking out.
“I reject completely and utterly that the blow at that time could possibly be in self-defence,” he said today.
“I reject much of what was submitted on behalf of the defendant in terms of who was the aggressor.
“If anybody gets into anybody’s face, in my view, and I find, it was the defendant.”
Mr Harrap said the victim played no obvious role in the assault.
“I find that there was no action on the part of the victim that was threatening, certainly from his body language,” he said.
“The footage clearly shows the victim with his hands up with his palms open, which is a complete opposite to a clenched fist, for example.
“I would have no hesitation in finding that particular blow (the first) constitutes an assault.”
Mr Harrap found Sfyris guilty and will hear sentencing submissions next week.
Sfyris will be joined by Bernard Delalovic and Abdul Shawqy, who last week pleaded guilty to the blows they inflicted upon the victim during the assault.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/former-comanchero-bikie-michael-sfyris-guilty-of-hindley-st-assault/story-e6frf7jo-1226424417980
UPDATE 13 September 2012:
FORMER Comanchero bikie-club member Michael Sfyris cannot contact – or associate with – his former friend Abdul Shawqy for two years.
Yesterday that was the first court order made under revised laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Almost three months after new legislation was introduced, Magistrate Bob Harrap slapped a non-association order on Sfyris, 47, and Abdul Shawqy, 29, during sentencing for a 2011 aggravated assault in Hindley St’s Falafel House.
The order, possible under amendments to the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Act, which came into force on June 17, prohibits parties from associating with each other “by any means”.
The amendments were made as part of broad changes to bikie legislation in response to a 2010 High Court ruling that aspects of the laws were invalid.
Sfyris, Shawqy and another man, Bernard Delalovic, 22, were convicted of attacking a man inside the falafel shop by repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim.
Mr Harrap said CCTV footage of the assault showed Sfyris was “clearly the instigator” of the attack despite his claims he was acting in self defence.
“It was your actions and your actions alone that led to the other people being involved … it was a very serious assault and you played a very significant role,” Mr Harrap said.
Sfyris, who is in custody already on other matters, was jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Delalovic, who Mr Harrap said played a “relatively lesser role” in the assault, was convicted and put on a $200 good behaviour bond for two years.
Shawqy was convicted and jailed for nine months, suspended on a $200 two-year good behaviour bond.
Mr Harrap also imposed the non-association order between Sfyris and Shawqy.
Outside court, Senior Sergeant Fred Wojtasik said the non-association order was the first imposed by the state’s courts.
Lawyers for Sfyris said they would appeal against their client’s conviction. If successful, the non-association order would be in doubt.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/former-comanchero-bikie-michael-sfyris-jailed-for-hindley-st-assault/story-fndo471r-1226473459122