A bankrupt former Western Sydney deputy mayor and property developer has been released from prison after almost five years, which his domestic violence victim-survivor has lashed as “grossly unfair” and a “systemic failure”.

Salim Mehajer was granted parole last month after he was found guilty in 2023 in separate trials for offences which took place between April 1, 2018 and October 4, 2020.

About 9.30am today, Mehajer walked out of John Moroney Correctional Centre in Windsor in the Hawkesbury.

Salim Mehajer after his release from prison on parole. (9News)

Mehajer, a former deputy mayor of Auburn council, was sentenced to seven years and nine months behind bars for a number of crimes, including domestic violence offences against his ex-partner, and forging his lawyer’s signature.

The sentence carried a non-parole period of three years and nine months.

9News understands that since his incarceration at the John Moroney Correctional Complex, Mehajer has been kept to his own cell for about 17 hours a day for his own protection.

Mehajer’s parole conditions include no contact with his victim, no contact with bikie members, and a ban on visiting the Central Coast local government area.

His release was opposed by the commissioner of corrective services, while the State Parole Authority rated Mehajer’s risk of re-offending as “medium”.

Mehajer completed a number of courses in prison and will continue to do so on the outside, as well as ongoing sessions with a psychiatrist.

Salim Mehajer outside Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney. (Janie Barrett)

His domestic violence victim-survivor, known legally as MB, lashed the parole board for granting him release.

“It is so unfair, so grossly unfair that the freedoms of the offender are put above the freedoms of victims,” MB said in a statement.

“We must demand better from our justice system. We are left to rebuild our lives while they are handed back theirs. This isn’t justice.

“A simple course in gaol does not suffice to show there will be no repeat offending. In many cases, victims are targeted upon release.”

MB added that the “consequences of being a victim continue to far outweigh the consequences of offending”.

“For some victims it is years and years of trauma, a lifetime of hiding. For others it is rebuilding themselves financially and emotionally after being defrauded or dragged through civil court,” MB said.

“Many abusers use the legal system as an extension of abuse. The system is set up to facilitate this.

“This is not a personal grievance. It is a systemic failure. One that must change.”

Salim Mehajer has left prison in Sydney after nearly five years behind bars. (9News)

Mehajer was wearing a dark suit and sunglasses, and appeared to have his hair tied back, when he walked out of prison today.

He carried what looked like a folio in one hand and a bag in the other.

Mehajer was greeted with a handshake by another man in a suit, who escorted him to a black Mercedes sedan with tinted windows before they drove away.

The two men drove to a Westfield shopping centre in Parramatta later in the morning.

Mehajer visited a Service NSW branch before leaving, declining to speak to a crowd of media present.

Asked on camera as he entered the Westfield what his plans were post-release, Mehajer kept mum.

“I’m going to respectfully decline to comment,” he said.

Mehajer on his wedding day. (9News)

In the same video, Mehajer, still carrying the black file case, appeared to make a phone call on a mobile.

The bankrupt former property developer rose to notoriety after his lavish wedding in Western Sydney shut down an entire street in 2015.

The day carried a reported price tag of $1 million.

Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).

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