The alleged Bondi gunman has lost his court bid to suppress the names and addresses of his mother, brother, and sister due to fears over their safety. Lawyers for Naveed Akram - who is facing 59 charges over December's attack on a Jewish festival on Bondi Beach that killed 15 people - argued that his family could be targeted by vigilantes and had already experienced abuse.
Last month, details of Akram's family were suppressed under an interim order but on Thursday, a Sydney court lifted it after several media outlets opposed the move. The case had attracted unprecedented attention in Australia and globally, the judge ruled, and information about the family was already widely available online.
This case has unprecedented public interest, outrage, anger, and grief, Judge Hugh Donnelly told the court. He said the request for a suppression order lasting 40 years did not meet the exceptional circumstances threshold and would have limited impact as it would only apply in Australia and not on social media platforms or international media outlets.
The judge noted that it was unfortunate that Akram's driver's licence had already been posted online but mentioned that his lawyers had not properly explained how an order could be enforced. He expressed no criticism of an interview that Akram's mother gave to a local outlet but stated that suppressing her identity would do little to help.
In response to the court's decision, Akram, 24, appeared via video link from the high-security prison where he is being held. During hearings, the court learned that people had driven past the family home, shouting abuse and death threats. Family members reported receiving threatening texts and phone calls, prompting Akram's mother to express her fears for her family's safety in a statement.
Last month, details of Akram's family were suppressed under an interim order but on Thursday, a Sydney court lifted it after several media outlets opposed the move. The case had attracted unprecedented attention in Australia and globally, the judge ruled, and information about the family was already widely available online.
This case has unprecedented public interest, outrage, anger, and grief, Judge Hugh Donnelly told the court. He said the request for a suppression order lasting 40 years did not meet the exceptional circumstances threshold and would have limited impact as it would only apply in Australia and not on social media platforms or international media outlets.
The judge noted that it was unfortunate that Akram's driver's licence had already been posted online but mentioned that his lawyers had not properly explained how an order could be enforced. He expressed no criticism of an interview that Akram's mother gave to a local outlet but stated that suppressing her identity would do little to help.
In response to the court's decision, Akram, 24, appeared via video link from the high-security prison where he is being held. During hearings, the court learned that people had driven past the family home, shouting abuse and death threats. Family members reported receiving threatening texts and phone calls, prompting Akram's mother to express her fears for her family's safety in a statement.
