SYDNEY, Australia — Naveed Akram, the man accused in the Bondi Beach shooting that killed 15 people at a Hanukkah celebration, made his first court appearance Monday via video link at Downing Centre Local Court. Police allege Akram carried out the attack with his father and now faces 59 charges, including 15 counts of murder and a terrorism offense, Feb. 16, 2026.
Akram, 24, appeared on a prison video feed from Goulburn Correctional Centre, which Corrective Services NSW describes as a maximum- and minimum-security institution for men about 197 kilometers (122 miles) southwest of Sydney. He spoke only briefly as the court dealt with suppression and non-publication orders shielding identifying details of some victims and survivors.
Outside court, his Legal Aid lawyer, Ben Archbold, said Akram was doing “as well as he can be” under “very onerous conditions” in custody and that it was too early to indicate how his client would plead. The matter was adjourned and is expected to return to court in April, Reuters reported.
Bondi Beach shooting charges: What Akram is accused of
The Bondi Beach shooting is being prosecuted as a terrorism matter alongside a raft of homicide and attempted-homicide allegations. The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions says the NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team referred the prosecution against Akram in December and lists the 59 charges publicly.
1 count of committing a terrorist act.
15 counts of murder.
40 counts of attempted murder.
Additional counts alleging the discharge of a firearm with intent, displaying a prohibited terrorist organization symbol and causing explosives to be placed in or near a public place.
Akram has not entered a plea. Prosecutors are due to serve the brief of evidence by April 8, and the case is listed for a committal mention that day, the CDPP says.
What happened in the Bondi Beach shooting and what was raised in court
Police allege the Bondi Beach shooting unfolded in the early evening of Dec. 14 during “Chanukah by the Sea,” a beachside Hanukkah celebration in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. Authorities say 15 people died and dozens were injured when two gunmen opened fire, and that Akram’s father, Sajid Akram, was shot dead by police at the scene. Akram was wounded and later taken into custody.
Monday’s hearing was brief and largely procedural. The court extended existing suppression orders connected to victim identification information, ABC News reported, while Akram sat in silence for most of the mention. The restrictions allow survivors to identify themselves publicly if they choose, but limit publication of identifying details in court documents.
Archbold told reporters he had visited his client in custody and emphasized that legal representation does not depend on the allegations. “He’s just a client,” he said.
Bondi Beach shooting case: Detention, timeline and what comes next
Akram is being held on remand at Goulburn Correctional Centre, part of a complex that also includes the High Risk Management Correctional Centre. In court and afterward, his lawyer pointed to the strict conditions in custody and said the legal process would take time, and SBS News reported he warned the proceedings could stretch into 2027.
In the weeks after the attack, investigators laid the 59 charges and began compiling evidence that prosecutors will eventually tender in a committal process. Earlier reporting helps explain why Monday’s court appearance matters — it is the first time the alleged shooter has been seen and heard publicly since his arrest, even though the case has been mentioned in court before.
Dec. 17: Akram was charged with 59 offenses while still hospitalized as mourners began funerals for victims of the attack, the Associated Press reported.
Dec. 22: Police documents released to the court alleged the accused trained with his father and recorded material justifying the violence in the lead-up to the shootings, the Associated Press reported.
Dec. 15: In live updates after the attack, ABC News reported that national and state leaders were discussing tighter firearms laws and additional support for affected communities.
What happens next is likely to be slow. Prosecutors say the brief of evidence is due by April 8, and the committal process will determine whether the case is sent to a higher court for trial. For families still grieving and survivors still recovering, the next phase of the Bondi Beach shooting case will play out in court filings and procedural mentions before any trial date is set.
