A former high-flying real estate executive has told a court that he stole a taxi from Sydney’s CBD to get away from a group of men who were attempting to kill him.
Brett Henson had a dispute with a taxi driver, Sayeed Ali Khan, over a broken door handle shortly before 9pm on November 4, 2022, telling a court stealing the taxi was the ‘only option’ to save his life.
Police allege he stole the silver taxi from Hunter St in the CBD while intoxicated after threatening Mr Khan.
The 42-year-old told Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on Monday that he was ‘petrified’ after the argument.
Mr Henson had attempted to get into the cab but told the court that he was flung backwards to the ground when the door handle broke. He denied he fell due to alcohol intoxication.
Former Mirvac executive Brett Henson is seen at Sydney’s Downing Centre Court on Monday
He told the court that Mr Khan, who isn’t accused of any wrongdoing, said he would ‘add it to the bill’ when he got home, but the driver then asked him to get the money out of an ATM.
The former Mirvac executive said Mr Khan was ‘extremely aggressive’ and had been trying to ‘extort’ money before a group of five men set upon him. Mr Henson told the court the group involved Mr Khan.
‘They were taking the side of the taxi driver trying to get money out of me, trying to get my phone or wallet. I said to leave me alone,’ Mr Henson said.
‘When they were chasing me I said ‘just call the police’ and they responded with ‘we are the police’.’
Mr Henson is fighting a range of driving offences at a hearing in the local court, including stealing a motor vehicle and dangerous driving.
The former prominent real estate figure was arrested in late 2022 after photos of the incident were circulated by NSW Police. He is now unemployed.
He told the court that the men, who were all ‘much bigger’ than him, told Mr Henson they were the ‘Muslim brotherhood’.
CCTV footage allegedly shows Mirvac executive Brett Henson falling over on to his back after having an altercation with a Sydney taxi driver
Mr Henson attempted to run away from the group but told the court they wouldn’t leave him alone and surrounded him for 10 minutes.
‘I was petrified, trying to get away from these guys,’ Mr Henson told the court.
He told the court that he got ‘belted’ and landed on the ground with his shirt ripped open, resulting in bruises on his arms, hip and chest.
The court was told the men were saying ‘let’s f**king get him’.
‘I needed to get away from there, there was no other way I can escape … I can’t call the police … there’s no other option,’ Mr Henson told the court.
Mr Henson managed to get away from the group and jumped into the taxi.
He told the court that he was terrified of the group so he drove through multiple red lights before he finally stopped at an intersection in the eastern suburbs.
When asked by his lawyer what was going through his head, Mr Henson said: ‘These guys are going to kill me.
‘I would be a victim of a king hit and my family would be up here instead of me being here today explaining.’
CCTV footage released by police allegedly shows Mr Henson stealing a taxi in Sydney’s CBD in November, 2022
Under cross-examination from a police prosecutor, Mr Henson told the court that he was being ‘aggressively’ pursued by the group.
‘They were harassing me, hounding me,’ he said.
Police allege Mr Henson drove dangerously before the car was dumped in Woollahra with ‘significant damage’.
Mr Henson’s lawyer Paul McGirr told the court during the first part of the hearing last year that his client took the cab because he was ‘under duress’.
Mr Khan last year told the court that Mr Henson was ‘aggressive’ and shouted at himself, other cab drivers and bystanders gathered on the busy CBD street.
Mr Khan claimed Mr Henson had said ‘(do) you want to fight with me?’
In his opening submission, Mr McGirr said ID would ‘not be an issue’ in the case while also relegating allegations of his intoxication to be a ‘side issue’.
Mr Henson was reportedly a senior capital transactions manager for property developing giant Mirvac at the time of the alleged offence and owns a $3.3m house in Bronte.
The hearing continues before magistrate Gregory Moore.