A court has refused a bid by lawyers for Bondi gunman Naveed Akram to suppress identifying details of his family, despite claims they are living in fear following the high-profile case.
According to a report by the Independent, media organisations opposed the application, with barrister Matthew Lewis SC arguing it would be ineffective and unenforceable. Public defender Richard Wilson SC told the court Akram’s mother and siblings were living in “constant fear”, facing death threats, stalking and intimidation, and sought to have details such as their identities, addresses and workplaces withheld. He argued they faced serious risks, including potential vigilante violence.
On Thursday, Judge Hugh Donnelly dismissed the request, emphasising the principle of open justice and noting that any suppression order would only apply within Australia. He described the case as “exceptional by virtue of the sheer magnitude and intensity of the commentary” online, adding it “may be unfortunate” that personal details had already been shared, but said enforcement challenges had not been adequately addressed, the Independent has reported.
According to the Independent, referring to Akram’s mother speaking publicly, the judge said, “The court is not critical of her decision to talk to the media”, but concluded that granting suppression would have little practical effect.
The court also noted that the family’s names and workplaces were not part of the alleged police facts and that they were unlikely to be called as witnesses. “It is hard to see how a fair and accurate report of the proceedings will involve them, they have little relevance to the case,” the judge said, as quoted by the Independent.
Akram, 24, is facing nearly 60 charges related to the Bondi Beach attack, including 15 counts of murder and terrorism offences. His father, Sajid Akram, was shot dead by police on the day of the incident.
The court heard the family felt “somewhat under siege” due to intense media attention and ongoing threats, and were “very afraid” whenever the case returned to public focus. In material presented to the court, Akram’s mother wrote: “We live in constant fear someone will harm us or set our house on fire. I fear for my life and the lives of my children,” the Independent has quoted.
Judge Donnelly said the court was “not intending to minimise what might be described as vigilante conduct by members of the public” but must apply the law in determining the application. He added that widespread reporting of the case was “inevitable,” as quoted by the Independent.
Lewis told the court that the “cat is well and truly out of the bag” regarding the family’s address after an image of Akram’s driver’s licence circulated online shortly after the December 14 attack, noting most media outlets had limited reporting to the suburb rather than the exact location, as reported by the Independent.
The matter is due to return to court next Wednesday.
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