The friend of an Illawarra teacher who allegedly ran a classroom betting competition has walked from court without a conviction after yelling threats at a witness involved in the case.
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Milos Dobre learnt his fate at Wollongong Local Court on Friday for using intimidation to unlawfully influence a person stemming from a drunken incident at Figtree Hotel on October 22, 2022.
"It was a heat of the moment matter while on the drink," Dobre's lawyer said.
Tendered court documents state Dobre, 48, is friends with Phil Saunders, a former high school teacher who allegedly ran an English Premier League tipping club in his Year 12 PDHPE class.
The hearing began in 2022 and is expected to finish later this year.
Saunders has pleaded not guilty to engaging in gambling with a minor, intimidation, and two counts each of indecently assaulting a person under his authority and indecently assaulting a person under 16.
In incident separate to the alleged classroom betting, Saunders also stands accused of intimidating a fellow teacher after she lodged a complaint about him to PDHPE head teacher, David Arthur.
Dobre was with Saunders and another man at the pub - about two weeks after part of the teacher's hearing - when Dobre heard Mr Arthur's voice through a door. Mr Arthur did not know Dobre.
As Mr Arthur was leaving the pub, Dobre - beer in hand - followed him out to the carpark garden and yelled at him.
"Hey mate, where you going? Come back and have another beer," Dobre said.
Dobre appeared to be gesturing towards Mr Arthur, before he screamed, "Yeah, you c---, come back."
Mr Arthur walked away again before Dobre yelled at him twice saying, "Keep walking as you're a dead man walking".
He contacted police about the incident, believing the intimidation and the Saunders hearing were related.
On May 30, 2023, Dobre attended Saunders' hearing in support, not knowing Mr Arthur would be giving evidence that day.
Mr Arthur told the officer in charge of the investigation "That's him" and Dobre was asked to leave the court before being arrested and charged at his Fernhill home that afternoon.
Dobre's lawyer urged the court to not record a conviction against his client, arguing he is a "family man" who was self-medicating with alcohol at the time of the offending.
Magistrate Robert Rabbidge called the threat "pretty terrifying stuff", however opted to not convict Dobre due to his "very good character".
Dobre was placed on a conditional release order for two years.
Grace Crivellaro
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
