Hassan Saab sentenced for intimidating wife in Hurstville home

A retired father told his wife of almost 50 years “I should kill you” because she was watching television late, as well as accusing her of seeing other men.

Mr Saab appeared at Sutherland courthouse. Picture: Supplied

A 76-year-old man has accused his wife of almost 50 years of “sleeping with other men” before saying to her “I should kill you” after he got upset when she was watching television late at night.

Hassan Saab, of Hurstville, was sentenced in Sutherland Local Court after pleading guilty to intimidation and contravening an apprehended violence order.

The court heard an apprehended domestic violence order was put in place in April 2021 preventing Saab from assaulting, intimidating, harassing and stalking his wife.

Agreed facts tendered to court said the couple had been married for 49 years and lived in their Hurstville home for decades.

The court heard their marriage was in decline for the previous two years because Saab had become controlling and jealous towards his wife, and they were in the process of divorce.

Hassan Saab was arrested and charged in February.

On February 19, Saab approached his wife who was watching television in their lounge room and he asked her if she was going to stay up all night watching TV.

The police documents state Saab did not like when she stayed up late watching TV because he believed she should go to bed when he did.

Saab became argumentative and accused his wife of sleeping with other men before he said he would like her.

“I know what happens in those programs on TV when a woman betrays their husband,” he said. “A woman who does this gets killed by their husband. Any woman who does this, the husband kills the woman. I should kill you, I would kill you.”

Saab’s wife said to him, “why are you doing this, why are you talking to me like you are in jail. We are old people.”

The next day, Saab’s son requested police attend his parents’ home to check on his father’s mental health.

Saab was surprised to see the officers. They contacted the son who told them his father made threats towards his mother, controlled what she did and had made a threat to kill her so she was staying a relative’s house.

Police spoke with Saab’s wife who told them about the incident the previous night before she provided a statement to police before Saab was arrested.

The woman later told police, “the things he says are not correct. His behaviour continues to frustrate me. He is controlling and I feel intimidated and fearful of his behaviour.”

In court, Magistrate Philip Stewart took into account that Saab had no prior criminal record but said the intimidation offence was too serious not to record a conviction.

Saab was convicted and placed on an 18-month community correction order where he must be of good behaviour and complete a domestic violence counselling program.

He was also placed on a conditional release order for 18 months without conviction for contravening the AVO.