Cameron Bardak abandons appeal for attempted murder

A former Government House security guard who tried to kill his girlfriend in a terrifying axe attack in Brisbane’s CBD has abandoned an appeal against his 14-year jail sentence.

Cameron Turgay Bardak has abandoned his appeal.

A FORMER Government House security guard who tried to kill his girlfriend in a terrifying axe attack in Brisbane’s CBD has abandoned an appeal against his 14-year jail sentence.

Cameron Turgay Bardak had sought to appeal his conviction and sentence after being found guilty of the attempted murder of lawyer Maria Buci whom he ambushed in a parking garage after she finished work on July 1, 2020.

But his appeal was abandoned this week, meaning the bodybuilder will be required to serve the 14-year prison term imposed after his Supreme Court trial.

Bardak was declared a serious violent offender which will see him serve 80 per cent of that term behind bars before he becomes eligible to apply for parole.

Cameron Turgay Bardak.

The jury in his attempted murder trial in May heard that Bardak and Ms Buci had broken up during a lunch date on the day of the attack after a tumultuous period in their relationship in which he had become threatening and abusive.

After parting ways, Ms Buci went back to work at her Brisbane law firm and Bardak went to a Bunnings Warehouse where he purchased a hatchet he later used to try kill her.

As he shopped for the would-be murder weapon, Bardak sent Ms Buci dozens of messages – oscillating between vitriol and attempts at reconciliation.

Later, as he hid near her car in a CBD parking garage, Bardak attempted to lure Ms Buci from her office, writing “f*** off and go home” and “you’re not getting any more work done today obviously”.

When she got to her car, Bardak set upon Ms Buci, repeatedly striking her with the axe and strangling her and chasing her down multiple times when she managed to escape his hold.

Maria Buci outside court.

The prolonged ordeal only ended when good Samaritans heard her bloodcurdling screams and came to her rescue, wrestling Bardak to the ground and pinning him there until police came to arrest him.

Bardak sensationally claimed during his trial that he never intended to hurt Ms Buci and had simply taken the weapon as a “contingency” so he could convince her to forgive him and reconcile.

After the guilty verdict, Ms Buci publicly thanked the good Samaritans who came to her rescue.

“They are the reason I am alive today,” she said.

“It is a long path to healing, but I will get there.”

Bardak is currently an inmate at the Maryborough Correctional Centre.