The five men had appeared during ICAC's two-week hearing into events at Ryde City Council in the lead up to the 2012 local government elections, and around the departure of its general manager in 2013. Newspaper publisher John Booth has been found not guilty of giving false and misleading evidence to ICAC Credit:Nick Moir The NSW Electoral Commission is also considering whether there is sufficient evidence to prosecute Mr Petch, serving councillors Justin Li, Jeffrey Salvestro-Martin,Terry Perram and former councillor Victor Tagg over breaches of electoral funding laws. The watchdog said its investigation "concerned alleged attempts by Mr Petch to improperly influence the exercise of official functions of the council's general manager and acting general manager, and the release of confidential council information by Mr Petch for various purposes, including attempts to cast doubt on the suitability of John Neish to serve as the council's general manager". Mr Neish was allegedly warned that his job would be on the line after the 2012 elections if he did not take steps to delay a controversial redevelopment of the Ryde Civic precinct. Confidential information was leaked in a bid to discredit him after he refused.

Mr Petch, who is charged with one count of misconduct in public office for allegedly releasing the material, has also been charged with "being an accessory before the fact of a count of blackmail" in relation to the alleged threat, for which Mr Goubran is also facing a blackmail charge. Mr Petch is facing a separate charge of blackmail for allegedly attempting to improperly influence Mr Neish's acting replacement, Danielle Dickson, after her predecessor quit. The then mayor is alleged to have threatened Ms Dickson that a group of councillors, including himself, would not support her application for the permanent job if she failed to resolve an ongoing Supreme Court costs dispute in their favour. "Further, Mr Petch is also charged with six counts of giving false and misleading evidence at ICAC hearings in 2013," the ICAC said. Mr Petch issued a statement hitting back at the inquiry, accusing ICAC of being a "weapon of political payback" targeting councillors who opposed the Ryde civic precinct plan.

"In relation to the accusations levelled at me, I'll happily be answering those in court – a real court," the statement said. Mr Petch, who was suspended from the council when ICAC's report was handed down, left the council in December after his Supreme Court attempt to overturn the findings comprehensively failed. Mr Henricus is charged with corruptly offering a benefit in 2013 to Ryde councillor Bill Pickering by allegedly offering him favourable coverage in The Weekly Times if he withdrew his opposition to a development application lodged by Mr Booth. Mr Booth and Mr Stavrinos have been charged with giving false and misleading evidence at ICAC hearings in 2013. The maximum penalty for giving false or misleading evidence to the watchdog is five years' imprisonment.

There is no prescribed maximum penalty for misconduct in public office in NSW, which means it is technically life in prison. In practice, however, the maximum is likely to be between 10 and 14 years. The prosecutions come as the ICAC faces a shake-up of its powers under a review headed by former High Court chief justice Murray Gleeson, QC, and Sydney silk Bruce McClintock. The matters are listed for mention before the Downing Centre Local Court on September 3.