Family’s despair at Owda Almassri’s jail term for slashing Maalik Omar’s neck in Adelaide CBD

The family of a man whose neck was slashed during a brawl outside a CBD nightclub has lashed out at the sentence imposed on his attacker, which they say “is nothing”.

The family of a man who suffered life threatening injuries when his neck was slashed after a CBD street fight have lashed out at his attacker’s sentence, saying the four years he must spend behind bars “is nothing”.

Maalik Omar was slashed across his neck and face with a box cutter outside Zhivago nightclub on Currie St, on November 28, 2021. He was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery but died in March – aged just 22 – from an unrelated health condition.

His attacker, Owda Almassri, 21, of Plympton was jailed in the District Court on Thursday for eight years, one month and one week, with a non-parole period of four years and four months.

Outside court, Yousef Omar, said his older brother was “a good person”.

“He was just a wonderful person, he was very positive, he was very strong. He battled cancer for three years and the stabbing made it ten times worse for him,” he said.

“The stabbing caused him to lose so much blood that he couldn’t do the surgery anymore and it was delayed … so it practically caused his death.”

He said the loss of his brother had been “very hard” on his family, who were “very disappointed” at the sentence imposed on his brother’s attacker.

“That’s not justice … justice has not been served.”

“Four years is nothing, it’s not good enough … I hope he rots in jail.”

Owda Almassri has been jailed for slashing the neck of Maalik Omar outside Zhivago nightclub in November 2021. Picture: Supplied

In sentencing, Chief Judge Michael Evans said Mr Omar had been celebrating a birthday with friends when his group, and Almassri’s group had clashed.

“Words were exchanged between the groups which led to a physical fight,” he said.

He said Almassri had never previously met the victim but he was known through a mutual acquaintance, with whom Almassri had an “acrimonious relationship”.

Almassri punched the acquaintance before the victim intervened and punched Almassri and stomped on his head and shoulder.

“Other males in the group also stomped on your head. A fight broke up and you were left in the street,” he said.

He said Almassri’s friend then bought a box cutter and the pair went to Zhivago, where Mr Omar’s group had lined up outside. Almassri slashed Mr Omar’s neck just before 12.30am.

The victim suffered a “deep” laceration which ran from the left hand side of his neck, under his ear to the right side of his mouth.

“The injury was life-threatening and the victim suffered significant scarring to his neck and nerve damage to his face,” Judge Evans said.

Judge Evans said police later found Almassri hiding in a wardrobe at his uncle’s Hindley St convenience store.

He was originally charged with attempted murder but pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated causing serious harm with intent.

Judge Evans said Almassri grew up in a war zone and endured a childhood “shaped by violence and public displays of retribution”.

“Your house was frequently shelled. You grew up witnessing dead bodies littering the streets and people dying in the rubble. You did not sustain any physical injuries, however suffered severe emotional trauma,” he said.

He said a psychologist had found Almassri suffered PTSD and hypervigilance which caused him to “over-estimate perceived threats”, resulting in him “overreacting”.

Judge Evans said Almassri’s “completely unacceptable” offending must be publicly denounced.

“The community does not tolerate street violence, especially street violence of this nature when a knife or weapon is used,” he said.

In imposing sentence, he noted Amassri’s contrition and remorse. He set a longer than usual non-parole period to help aid Almassri’s rehabilitation.