Sydney man avoids jail over $100,000 anti-Israel vandalism spree
The court heard Thomas Stojanovski had been offered $1,000 to carry out the attack. (AAP: Bianca De Marchi)
In short:
Thomas Stojanovski has avoided jail for an anti-Israel vandalism spree in Sydney's east last year, totalling around $100,000 worth of damage.
Cars were spray painted with offensive language and one was set alight on Wellington Street at Woollahra.
The court heard Stojanovski had been offered $1,000 from co-accused Mohammed Farhat to do a job, but did not know what the job was.
A 21-year-old man offered $1,000 for his role in an anti-Israel vandalism spree in Sydney's east last year that caused $100,000 worth of damage was not motivated by antisemitism, a court has been told.
Police allege Thomas Stojanovski and co-accused Mohammed Farhat were caught by CCTV cameras spray-painting "F*** Israel" along Wellington Street, where a car was also set alight, in Woollahra last November.
Stojanovski was arrested that same month over the anti-Israel graffiti on 10 vehicles and damaging nearby buildings.
Farhat has already been sentenced to 20 months' imprisonment with a non-parole period of 10 months.
Mr Stojanovski allegedly sprayed painted over cars at Woollahra in Sydney's east. (ABC News: Alison Xiao)
Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday heard Stojanovski agreed to be paid $1,000 by his co-accused to carry out a job.
Magistrate Scott Nash said Stojanovski was not aware of what the job was prior to the offending.
The court was told he took part in the vandalism to fund his illicit substance abuse that stemmed from an injury he was dealing with at the time. However, Magistrate Nash said there was still an "underlining intent to cause malicious damage".
"I find that there is a reasonable and rational case in this particular circumstance that Mr Stojanovski was wholly financially motivated," Magistrate Nash told the court.
Police responded to reports of a car on fire as well as spray-painted vehicles during a spate of vandalism last year in Sydney's east. (ABC News)
Magistrate Nash said Stojanovski had expressed remorse for his actions and pleaded guilty in the face of a strong prosecution case.
Stojanovski was handed an 11-month intensive corrections order and 87 hours of community service work for 15 offences, including a dozen counts of destroy/damage property.
He was also ordered to pay $750.
More than a dozen people have been arrested and charged over a series of antisemitic vandalism attacks late last year and earlier this year.