The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has obtained consent orders in the Supreme Court of New South Wales restraining former Macquarie Bank portfolio manager Oswyn De Silva from leaving or attempting to leave Australia.

De Silva, a resident of the UK, was also required to deliver up all passports to the Court Registry.

On 26 February 2010, ASIC obtained ex-parte orders from the Supreme Court restraining De Silva from leaving or attempting to leave Australia.

ASIC applied for these orders pursuant to its investigation of trading that De Silva is alleged to have engaged in between 2006 and 2007.

On 1 March 2010 De Silva attempted to leave Australia from Perth but was stopped by the Australian Federal Police. On 8 March 2010 De Silva pleaded guilty to a charge of being in contempt of the court’s ex parte orders and his sentence hearing has been listed for 15 March 2010.

The restraint orders will continue until 15 March 2010 when the matter returns to court.