On social media, Kings Cross icon John Ibrahim and his model, restaurateur girlfriend Sarah Budge appear the smiling, picture-perfect couple.
Even Budge’s Instagram thumbnail is a black and white picture of her and the self-dubbed “King of the Cross” hugging and laughing.
But as 29-year-old Budge fights serious weapon charges in a Sydney court, the couple’s seemingly perfect six-year relationship has been thrust into the spotlight, exposing the true brutality of their love.
Budge has pleaded not guilty to the three weapons charges after police found a defaced Glock 26 pistol and a magazine loaded with 16 bullets in her Double Bay unit in August 2017.
Over the past two weeks, Budge and Ibrahim’s relationship has played out in a Sydney courtroom as her defence argues the 29-year-old had no idea the gun was sitting in her closet and she was instead under Ibrahim’s influence for years.
Budge told the court Ibrahim had told her he knew the gun was in her apartment.
“He told me it was best I didn’t know and that I was in enough trouble as it is,” she told the NSW District Court jury.
The weapons were found when Australian Federal Police officers raided a series of properties relating to Ibrahim, including his girlfriend’s Double Bay apartment and his own Dover Heights clifftop home.
In his closing address today, prosecutor Christopher Taylor told the jury that Budge was trying to “pull the wool over” their eyes claiming she had no idea the weapons were hidden in a teapot box at the bottom of her bedroom wardrobe.
He invited the jury to think of where they would hide a stolen pistol, offering solutions such as burying it in a tin in a national park.
“It’s an affront to common sense that someone comes into her apartment and puts it in prime shoe territory,” he said.
Budge, a glamorous model who also runs Crane Bar in Potts Point, waltzes into Sydney’s Downing Centre for each day of her lengthy trial dressed to the nines.
She sobbed on the stand this week as the couple’s tumultuous relationship was laid bare.
In the weeks leading up to her arrest, Budge admitted she had felt ignored by her 51-year-old boyfriend.
She had just spent eight months helping Ibrahim work on his memoir Last King of the Cross and the nightclub boss was busy promoting the book.
The jury was told that during a July 26 radio interview with his close friend Kyle Sandilands, Ibrahim claimed he was single.
“Mum’s listening, thanks so much,” Budge replied after hearing him disregard their relationship.
“What,” he replied.
A week before her arrest, on August 1, Ibrahim invited one of his ex-girlfriends to stay at his home, resulting in an argument.
“All this stuff keeps happening,” she said.
Then on August 6, the couple fought again.
“Have a fab night, thanks for ditching me, and not even answering to speak with me,” she texted.
“It was up and down. We were fighting at the time,” Budge told the jury.
In other texts, Ibrahim would often shut his girlfriend down, telling her he was “busy” when she asked him to come over.
She also spoke about wanting to lean on Ibrahim when her mum was sick in hospital. Budge’s mum passed away in March.
Budge also spoke of her boyfriend’s charisma, humour and desire for privacy, adding he called himself “Sexy John” and asked her to do the same.
His number was saved in her phone as “Sexy John”.
Ibrahim had started to move away from Kings Cross and running nightclubs about the time the two started dating, instead focusing on his property portfolio.
Budge spent the night at Ibrahim’s home on August 7, waking to police at the door and information that other officers were at her unit waiting to search.
The jury previously heard seven of Budge’s fingerprints and a fingerprint of former strip club manager Michael Amante were found on the chemist’s paper bag containing the magazine.
The model and restaurateur became tearful when asked why she was still in a relationship with Ibrahim.
“I don’t think he deliberately put me in a bad position,” she told the court.
“I just don’t think that he would try to do something to hurt me.”
Giving evidence on Tuesday, Budge said she was very upset after being arrested and spending the night in the cells before being released on bail.
She said she confronted Mr Ibrahim, asking if he put the gun in her home because she wanted to know what was going on.
“I knew I had nothing to do with it getting there,” she said.
But while her boyfriend told her he knew how the gun got there, he refused to give her any more information, saying it was best if she didn’t know — a stance they argued about over the years.
Her barrister, Simon Buchen SC, previously suggested Mr Ibrahim or an associate hid the pistol and ammunition in the wardrobe the day or days before police found them.
“I don’t think he did. I don’t know,” Budge told prosecutor Christopher Taylor.
“I suggest that the position of him knowing but not telling you involves a significant breach of trust in your relationship?” Mr Taylor said.
“Yes, it was hard to deal with, absolutely,” she replied.
Budge’s three-week trial is expected to wrap up this week as the prosecution finishes its closing address today.
— with AAP
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