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Mehajer found guilty of domestic violence offences

By AAP Newswire

May 10, 2023

Salim Mehajer (file image) — Salim Mehajer has been found guilty of six domestic violence charges. -AAP Image

Salim Mehajer's arguments that the woman accusing him of domestic violence was a liar who faked texts and photoshopped pictures of bruises have not convinced a jury.

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The notorious former Auburn deputy mayor was found guilty in the NSW District Court on Wednesday of six domestic violence charges including common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, intimidation, and choking.

The jury deliberated for five hours following a trial that stretched over three weeks.

The jury heard he punched the woman in the head 10 times in his car, squeezed her hand so hard it cracked her phone screen and covered her mouth and nose with his hand, stopping her breathing until she passed out in a number of incidents over almost three years.

He told the jury her claims were "bizarre" and "sprinkled with a number of lies".

The 36-year-old will face a hearing on Thursday before learning his sentence on June 23.

Mehajer represented himself at trial after being unable to secure financial assistance to pay for lawyers.

He was required to question her through a third party when she gave evidence before a closed court.

Mehajer told the jury she made up her accusations as she went along and eventually was "tangled within her own web of lies", accusing her of photoshopping bruises in images and fabricating screenshots of text messages.

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By AAP Newswire

Australian Associated Press