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Photographer who allegedly stole, pawned Bondi terror victim’s camera identified

The identity of the photographer who allegedly stole and pawned the camera gear of a slain Bondi terror victim in the aftermath of the attack has been revealed.

Police allege that Danny James Ridley stole the camera equipment of 61-year-old retired police officer and photographer Peter Meagher during the terror attack, when 15 innocent people – including Meagher – were killed.

Following a raid at Ridley's family home in Sydney's west yesterday, police will allege the 35-year-old, who was also a photographer at the Hanukkah event, stole the equipment and pawned it for $800 just three days later.

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Danny James Ridley.Peter Meagher, a former police officer and Randwick Rugby volunteer and manager, was working as a freelance photographer at the Hanukkah event when he was shot during the Bondi Beach terror attack.

In March, Meagher's widow, Virginia Wynne-Markham, issued a plea on social media for any information about the missing camera after police and his family were unable to find it, and it was deemed stolen shortly after.

Wynne-Markham spent five months searching for her husband's camera so she could look at the images the 61-year-old took in the moments before his tragic death. 

She was overjoyed to know the camera had been retrieved.

"The best news I've had in 159 days," she said.

"To get his card back is amazing. It's the last little piece of him … I'll treasure that forever."

It is now alleged that the SD card inside Meagher's camera was found at Ridley's Marayong home.

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Danny James RidleyDanny James Ridley

In the raid, heavily armed police seized a camera, handcuffs, and electronic devices, while a car search yielded a "small amount of white crystal powder" and other electronics.

Ridley was arrested and charged with multiple theft, drug, and weapon offences.

He was bailed and will return to court on June 22.

A total of 15 innocent people were killed on the evening of Sunday, December 14, when two men opened fire on the crowd of people attending the outdoor event.

One of the attackers, who police say was 50-year-old Sajid Akram, was killed by police, while his son, Naveed Akram, was injured and arrested, and remains before the courts.

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