Man accused over alleged attempted honour killing of sister denied bail
A man accused of taking part in the alleged attempted honour killing of his sister poses too great a risk to her safety to be granted bail, a judge says.
Police & Courts
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The safety of a woman who was allegedly the subject of an "attempted honour killing" by her family would be placed at too great a risk if her brother were given bail, a judge says.
On Thursday, and after multiple lengthy hearings, Supreme Court Justice Kevin Nicholson refused a bail application by the man, 31, whose identity is suppressed.
He has yet to plead to charged including attempted murder over the daylight stabbing and kidnapping of his sister outside the Sefton Plaza shopping centre in 2021.
Prosecutors allege he and several other members of the family were motivated to attack the woman because she had fallen in love with a Christian man.
In his judgment, Justice Nicholson said the case against the man involved allegations of domestic violence against not only his sister, but also other women in the family - some of whom are jointly charged with the stabbing.
"The evidence suggests this man and his family members likely share traditional, conservative values as to the role of women in a family and the necessity to maintain a family's honour," he said.
"The sister ended up severely injured by this attack ... the risk, if the allegations are proven at trial, that further harm may come to her should any member of the family be in the community is too high to accept.
"I appreciate that other members of the family have been granted home detention bail - I did not grant their bail."
EARLIER: ‘Honour-killer’ faced claims of attacking co-accused mum, court hears
A man charged with the attempted honour killing of his sister has previously been accused of assaulting his co-accused mother and wants his jointly-charged brother to move out so he can have bail, a court has heard.
On Wednesday, counsel for the man asked the Supreme Court to release him on home detention bail before he and the rest of his family stand trial, in October, for attempted murder.
They said he would live at the family home – the same place, prosecutors allege, at which he and his relatives kidnapped his bleeding, dying sister after stabbing her at a public bus stop.
That would, they accepted, mean his younger brother – already on home detention at that address – would have to move out, but argued he could find “alternative accommodation”.
Talia Costi, prosecuting, said the man should remain in custody given his long history of both failing to abide by, and breaching, bail conditions.
“The family home has two units at the back and everyone, including the victim, once lived in that complex,” she said.
“Prior to (the stabbing) he was arrested and charged with offences of violence against his mother, who is a co-accused in this matter, and his wife, who is not.
“Those charges did not proceed but a number of breach of bail offences arose from the agreement he entered into after his arrest.
“He was also charged with offences including assault relating to a previous domestic partner, and breaches of and failure to comply with bail arising from that.”
The man, 31, has pleaded not guilty to a range of charges including attempted murder and aggravated counts of serious criminal trespass and assault.
It is alleged he, his father, 57, mother, 56, sister, 29, and brother-in-law, 28, stabbed the woman outside, and kidnapped her from, the Sefton Plaza shopping centre in 2021.
It is also alleged that, prior to the stabbing, he and his younger brother, 26, broke into what they believed was the home of the victim’s boyfriend at the mother’s direction.
Prosecutors further allege the 26-year-old had installed a tracking app on the victim’s phone and, when police questioned his parents, urged them to remain silent.
On Wednesday, counsel for the man asked that his bail application be adjourned so they could seek further expert evidence about his wife’s “medical needs”.
She was, the court heard, serving as guardian for his sister’s children – because she had been given home detention bail to a different address.
Ms Costi told the court that had come about “after the involvement” of the Department for Child Protection, and its view about a “stable place” for the children to reside.
Justice Kevin Nicholson granted the adjournment and remanded the man in custody to a further hearing in two weeks.