The morning session at Sydney’s John Madison Tower on Tuesday ran the gamut of misdemeanour. A 92-year-old granny who’d run a red light. A young Frenchman who pleaded not guilty to driving with a cancelled licence, then when told (through an interpreter) his next hearing would be scheduled after he’d departed home, shrugged and uttered, “eh, guilty then”. Bah, mon ami!A fusty local courtroom is the great leveller. Pinned against the wall was one of the country’s wealthiest and most powerful private equity chiefs. TPG Asia’s Joel Thickins stared straight ahead for almost an hour of pleadings (including a dozen battlers who were representing themselves). Then the clean-cut, tailored, charcoal suit stood for his turn.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles