A colourful Sydney barrister who made international headlines over his “offensive” Lamborghini number plates says his legal battle with Transport NSW is back on – and he’s going to give them “a f***ing war they will not believe”.
Peter Lavac, a renowned criminal defence barrister and self-described “playboy”, was informed by transport bureaucrats in August that he had to hand back the personalised plates on his prized bright yellow Lambo which read “LGOPNR”.
Lambo lawyer's last laugh over ‘leg opener’ licence plate. Local court challenge turns into a battle for free speech for colourful barrister Peter Lavac https://t.co/sqlryJCUiE
— Ava Benny-Morrison (@avabmorrison) September 19, 2020
Click here to view all Lamborghini listings on DRIVEN
“Transport for NSW determined that these number plates could be considered offensive and must be returned,” the letter said.
He argued that “99 out of 100 people” had no idea what the plates meant – “leg opener”, a “tongue-in-cheek” reference to his reputation as a ladies’ man that he earned from a young age – and that when people found out, “the universal reaction is always the same, laughter”.
“How on earth can recreational sex between consenting adults ever be offensive or demeaning in any way, shape or form?” he told news.com.au.
“Recreational sex is a celebration of the human body and human spirit – how can that ever be offensive?”
Mr Lavac was given 18 days to hand in his plates or have his registration cancelled. Describing it as a free-speech issue, the former Hong Kong crown prosecutor vowed to fight the “bullies”.
Assembling a high-powered legal team of “heavy hitters”, he challenged the letter in local court on September 1, where the case was thrown out by the magistrate.
“The person who wrote the (original) letter wrote it under the wrong legislation,” he said. “The legislation he was relying on no longer exists, it was repealed years ago. So of course that was tossed out.”
Mr Lavac said they were then “waiting to see whether they would want to bat on or not, and it seems they do”.
Transport NSW safety, environment and regulation deputy secretary Tara McCarthy told news.com.au last week the decision to revoke Mr Lavac’s plates still stands.
He received a near-identical letter a few days ago, exactly the same as the first one only this time citing the correct legislation.
“They’re obviously gluttons for punishment,” he said. He intends to ignore the letter and when he receives a second letter informing him his registration has been cancelled, “we will go back to court and start all over again”.
“And you know what? If they want to bat on, bring it on. We will give them a f***ing war they will not believe,” he said. “That’s my attitude. I love nothing more in life than a good fight.”
He has two “top gun” barristers on the case, including Sasha Milanovic from Ada Evans Chambers.
“The reason I picked Sasha for this case is because of his legendary prowess as a casanova,” Mr Lavac said. “He’s a great ladies’ man, and I realise this needs someone of his calibre who will understand and appreciate the subtle complexities of a case like this.”
The legal argument is “very simple – the plates are not offensive”.
He has a number of prominent witnesses lined up including a female judge who has “been in the Lambo, knows what they mean” and “not only is she not offended she was greatly amused”.
While he still does not know who originally complained, he says it was either an “anonymous keyboard warrior” hiding in “coward’s corner”, or someone with “tall poppy syndrome” who “knows me, knows the car and resents me driving a car like that”.
“I imagine if they want to succeed they will have to call this individual who fired in the complaint, get them in the witness box to explain why he or she found the plates offensive,” he said.
“If that happens, my heavy hitters will tear them to pieces in cross-examination.”
- News.com.au