A 29-year-old real estate agent has been cleared of two dozen sexual offence charges, including allegations linked to open house inspections in Sydney.
Jury Delivers Not Guilty Verdict
After a trial spanning several weeks at Campbelltown District Court, a twelve-member jury found Omar Lababidi not guilty on all 26 charges. The deliberation process took nearly thirteen hours before the verdict was reached on Friday.
The charges against Mr Lababidi included three counts of alleged rape and twenty counts of sexual touching. These incidents were said to have occurred between 2021 and 2023.
Contrasting Narratives in Court
Prosecutors had argued that Mr Lababidi displayed a pattern of pursuing sexual activity without consent. They alleged he had pinned three women against walls during property inspections in south-west Sydney and forced one woman into oral sex on three separate occasions.
The prosecution told the court the women had given no indication they were willing to engage in sexual acts and, in some instances, had made it clear they did not want to.
However, the defence presented a different account. Defence barrister Simon Buchen, SC, told the jury that all three women had willingly engaged in intimate behaviour with Mr Lababidi.
"It is the defence case that there was mutual flirting. The complainants exercised a degree of choice with the accused," Mr Buchen stated. He emphasised that the alleged incidents occurred in locations open to the public, and his client had not forced himself upon the women.
Mr Buchen acknowledged that some sexual acts had occurred but maintained they were entirely consensual. He denied that other alleged incidents had happened at all.
Professional Background and Aftermath
Outside of the court case, Mr Lababidi had established himself as a high-performing estate agent. In 2023, he won multiple awards for his work, having sold 145 houses in the Macarthur region.
His professional achievements included being named Sydney's fifth highest performer that year, notably after selling a Harrington Park property for $2.65 million.
The conclusion of this case brings an end to a legal process that has drawn significant attention to conduct within the property sector.
