Salim Mehajer to be represented by Zali Burrows in fight against DV conviction despite previously forging her signature

Salim Mehajer has debuted a new look at court, cutting off the man bun he walked from prison sporting, as his appeal against a domestic violence conviction took a surprising turn in court on Monday. Mehajer, who was released from prison on parole last month after five years behind bars, will now be represented in his appeal by Zali Burrows, a solicitor whose signature he had previously forged. Mehajer was convicted of punching his ex-partner in the head during an argument in his car, squeezing her hand and crushing her phone that she was holding. He was found guilty of suffocating her by putting his hand over her nose and mouth until she passed out and threatened to kill her mother. A jury found the former Auburn mayor guilty of six charges, including assault, intimidation and suffocating, and he was later found guilty of forging the signatures of Ms Burrows, who was his solicitor at the time, and his sister during a separate trial. He was sentenced to a maximum of seven years and nine months in jail for the domestic violence and fraud offences but was released from prison on July 18 upon the expiry of his non-parole period. Mehajer is fighting the domestic violence convictions and sentence in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal, claiming his trial was “defective” and unfair. He on Monday told the court solicitor Zali Burrows, the signature of whom Mehajer was previously found guilty of forging, had agreed to represent him in the appeal as he successfully fought for a three-month adjournment. President of the Court of Appeal Justice Julie Ward made it clear the adjournment was only being granted so Mehajer could obtain representation and “not for any other purpose” after the former politician claimed his ex-partner had hacked his iCloud. “(I’m) basically seeking an adjournment on the basis that I’m seeking legal representation, and... what’s critical in my case is access to my iCloud account, which appears to be …hijacked by, I say, is the complainant,” Mehajer told the court. “I cannot access it, that information is critical to adduce fresh and new evidence.” The claim comes weeks after his failed bid for more time to recover photos from his phone. Justice Ward told him it would not be an adjournment “to go out and see what other evidence you may be able to find” in support of his appeal, warning he should not expect any further delays. “You should assume that it will be going ahead on the 17th of November,” Justice Ward said. Crown prosecutor Tarik Abdulhak made it clear he was not pleased with the fresh delay, but ultimately did not oppose the application. A disgraced former politician who suffocated his ex-partner until she passed out is appealing his domestic violence conviction in court. However, he argued Mehajer’s iCloud claims were irrelevant. “(The Crown) wishes to put on the record that the situation is unsatisfactory,” Mr Abdulhak said. “This issue of the applicants and the complainants mobile phones was canvassed extensively at trial. “It’s irrelevant...for the issues on the current appeal.” Mr Abdulhak was also concerned that Mehajer may suggest he had an alibi and wasn’t at the relevant locations in respect to two of the indictments, despite not raising this at the trial. “(Mehajer) did not rely on alibi at trial,” Mr Abdulhak said. His matter was listed for hearing on November 17. Mehajer has claimed his trial was “defective”, unfair, and resulted in a “miscarriage of justice”, as the refusal of an adjournment denied him the chance to organise legal representation. He was unable to receive a fair trial as a result, he argued. Mehajer has also alleged to have “new evidence” against the credibility of his ex-partner and an exhibit tendered during the trial. Further, there was a “striking discrepancy” between the custodial conditions the sentencing judge believed he’d be subject to and what he actually faced behind bars, his grounds of appeal argue. His non-parole period was “manifestly excessive”, with the former Auburn mayor citing the “discrete nature” of the offences among other factors in his argument. Domestic violence: Where to get help