Man’s ‘drug debt’ excuse for string of anti-Semitic attacks rejected by court

A man’s claim that he carried out a string of anti-Semitic attacks because he felt “trapped” by drug debt has been rejected by a court. Nicholas James Alexander has admitted to orchestrating the spray painting of “f**k the jews” and “f**k Israel” on cars across Sydney and 10 swastikas on the Newtown Synagogue last January. He also co-ordinated the firebombing of the Only About Children childcare centre in Maroubra in Sydney’s east, the damage of which was in excess of $5000, with a separate attack leaving the former home of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive officer Alex Ryvchin defaced. Alexander was beamed into the Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday afternoon sporting prison greens, with his fiance supporting him in the courtroom as he was sentenced to five years jail over the attacks. He claimed he was not motivated by hate towards the Jewish community but felt “trapped” by debt fuelled by his drug addiction. “My habit had cost me more than I could afford to pay. I felt trapped but when I was offered a way out, I felt and was made to feel that I had no choice but to take what was in front of me,” Alexander wrote in a letter to the court, read out by magistrate Jennifer Atkinson. “I don’t have any ill feelings towards the Jewish community. My actions were not intended to hurt anyone or to push an agenda on my behalf. I simply was trying to free myself from the trap I found myself in.” Ms Atkinson noted that his letter was consistent with what he told his co-accused to say if they were caught by police and ultimately did not accept his explanation. ‘Attack on Australian society’ Alexander had directed others to carry out the attacks under instruction from unknown persons overseas, but he would have known the attacks were a “deliberate tactic to divide the Arab and Jewish communities”, Ms Atkinson told the court. “While he did not commit the substantive offences he could reasonably foresee the possible extent of damage to property that was likely and the intention to cause public fear and disharmony between Jewish and Arab Australians,” Ms Atkinson said. “People who are entitled to feel safe and should have been safe in their homes, their places of worship and on the streets of Sydney did not know what would come next. “These events were also an attack on Australian society generally … they were intended to divide our community. None of this is acceptable and must be strongly denounced.” She said Alexander was motivated by money and “winning the favour” of the overseas orchestrators but accepted that he had expressed remorse and was not racially motivated. “Mr Alexander knew the offences would create fear in the Jewish community and beyond. He was motivated by financial reward and, to a lesser extent, winning the favour of those who directed his activities,” Ms Atkinson said. Mr Ryvchin, whose home was targeted, welcomed Alexander’s sentence and said the attacks “made Jewish Australians question their place in this country” in a statement following Alexander’s sentencing. “This man’s decision to target a child care centre and a family home made people fear for their lives and the safety of their children,” Mr Ryvchin said. “His actions could have so easily caused people to be burned alive.” Blame attacks on ‘drug debts’ Alexander told his co-accused to tell police they carried out the acts to “pay off drug debt” to “Arabs” if they were caught. “Also here’s the spill, that anyone that gets grabbed say it. Why’d you do this? To pay off drug debt. To who? Arabs,” Ms Atkinson said, reading out part of the agreed facts. She said some of those who carried out the attacks were “apparently unsophisticated”. “For example, Mr Alexander thought the persons who spray painted the synagogue at Newtown wore balaclavas, but they did not,” Ms Atkinson said. Alexander pleaded guilty to four counts of accessory before the fact to an offence – destroy/damage property in company, two counts of accessory before the fact to an offence – destroy etc property in company use fire etc, and knowingly/recklessly direct criminal group assist crime. Ms Atkinson said his difficult upbringing and mental health problems did not mitigate his moral culpability. He was sentenced to an overall period of five years in prison over the attacks and will be eligible for parole in July 2028.