A Sydney real estate agent who had a penchant for cocaine and used tenants' rental bonds to fund his addiction has been spared jail.
Khalel Elchaar, 32, has been convicted of seven counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception.
He used his special access to the state rental bonds authority to withdraw $17,200 being held on behalf of seven tenants.
Elchaar moved the money into seven accounts controlled by him or his brother over a few weeks in 2015. Four bank accounts were newly created.
Fair Trading NSW soon uncovered the operation, suspended his licence and had his business - Sydney Property Group - sold off to cover the debts.
Elchaar made admissions and explained his brother didn't know about the scheme, court documents state.
Magistrate Anthony Miller, who sentenced Elchaar on Thursday in Parramatta Local Court, said the offences were a "gross breach of trust".
"You were given special privilege and access and used those privileges for your own benefit," the magistrate said
Mr Miller gave Elchaar a custodial sentence but suspended it, explaining Elchaar was unlikely to re-offend.
As part of the one-year intensive corrections order, the Rosehill man will need to perform 100 hours of community service.
Evidence before the court stated Elchaar was using cocaine in an increasing frequency about the time of his offending.
With his court papers covering his face and a hoodie held tightly around his head, the former real estate agent sprinted from the courthouse on Thursday past two supporters and into a waiting car to avoid being photographed.
Elchaar has also been disqualified from being involved in real estate in NSW until 2026.
Australian Associated Press
