Salim Mehajer pleads guilty to taxi assault

CONTROVERSIAL former deputy mayor Salim Mehajer has pleaded guilty to two charges over an incident at Sydney's The Star casino.

Seven News reports Mr Mehajer pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and damage or destroy over the incident that took place last April involving a taxi driver.

He will be sentenced later this week.

The property developer's plea came after a deal was struck with prosecutors over charges relating to the assault of a Sydney taxi driver with an EFTPOS machine outside Star City Casino.

Mr Mehajer, who is currently in prison awaiting trial on separate charges from an allegedly faked car crash, was listed before Magistrate Beverly Schurr in the Sydney Downing Centre this week.

It was the third time the hearing on the alleged serious assault has been set down.

Salim Mehajer faces the media on the way to a court appearance in Sydney last year. Picture: John Grainger.

The first occasion was the day last October when Mr Mehajer's Mercedes collided with another vehicle.

The matter was again set down on January 31, when Mr Mehajer's lawyer Brett Galloway withdrew from the case and he was told to find a new legal representative.

Prosecutor Amin Assad had told the court eight civilian and six police witnesses were ready to give evidence in the hearing.

RMS inspectors make routine checks of taxis at Star City Casino in Sydney. Picture: Gordon McComiskie

The witnesses included a triple-0 operator, and staff at the casino who viewed the CCTV of the alleged assault.

Police allege that at 4.30am on Sunday April 2 last year outside the Star casino, Mr Mehajer threw an EFTPOS machine at the face of taxi driver Nazir Syed.

Mr Syed allegedly sustained an injured nose and police charged Mr Mehajer with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.