Hussein Saleh, Ali Salim sentenced for attacking driver in Carlton Covid line

Two mates have been jailed for their role in a violent road rage attack at a Covid testing line, in which they stomped on a couple through a sunroof and punched them. Watch the CCTV footage.

Two mates have been jailed after they “cowardly and viciously attacked” a couple waiting in a Covid queue line with stomps to the head through a sunroof and punches to the face.

Hussein Saleh, 34, and Ali Salim, 35, pleaded guilty and were sentenced in Sutherland Local Court on Friday for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault. Saleh also pleaded guilty to damaging property.

Saleh was sentenced to 22 months jail with a 14 month non parole period, while Salim was ordered to serve 18 months in jail with an 11 month non parole period.

Agreed facts tendered to court said a male driver and his female passenger were waiting in a Covid drive-through testing line for more than three hours before 10am on December 28, 2021.

At one point a white Lexus cut the line in front of him of the man’s Prado.

Hussein Saleh (left) and Ali Salim (right) were jailed for attacking a couple in a Covid line. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

The couple got out of the car and approached the Lexus before they returned and beeped the horn repeatedly to try to make her leave.

The court heard the driver of the Lexus, Saleh’s wife, called her husband and a short time later, the mates since high school arrived in a white truck and stopped it next to the Prado.

Saleh stomped through the sunroof while Salim punched the man from the back seat. Picture: Supplied

They exited and Saleh immediately attempted to smash the driver’s window with a screwdriver, without talking to the couple first. Saleh broke the driver’s side mirror and Salim got into the back seat and punched the driver in the head, causing bruising and pain.

Saleh climbed onto the car and punched the driver in the head through the sunroof before he stood inside it and stomped his foot, hitting the driver and the passenger.

During the attack, the driver’s car rolled forward and collided with Saleh’s wife’s Lexus.

The mates left the vehicle and police arrived a short time later and everyone was told to leave before officers reviewed the CCTV footage.

Saleh was on top of the car punching the driver through the sunroof. Picture: Supplied

Magistrate Hugh Donnelly said the footage was “shocking” and the attack was “cowardly and vicious” executed with a “high degree of violence”.

“The victim received multiple injuries to the head and face in a retributive attack,” he said.

“The attack was sustained, ferocious and for a long duration. The victims were confined, trapped and defenceless … and it occurred without warning.”

Mr Donnelly rejected the evidence of Saleh’s wife who said the victim got out of his car multiple times, screamed and shouted at her before he punched the car and window, adding she feared he would attack her.

However Mr Donnelly said that version was not supported by CCTV footage nor other evidence, adding the victim was not charged.

The court heard Saleh was a builder and he was “stressed” due to Covid, adding he was remorseful and understood the couple would have been fearful.

The court heard character references which said Saleh’s actions were “out of character” and he was not a violent person.

The court heard Salim also denied he was a violent person and had demonstrated insight into the harm he caused the victims but noted he couldn’t do community service work because he was too busy with his business.

Mr Donnelly noted both men were at a low risk of reoffending and had no or limited criminal history; but he said there was no other option than to sentence the men to full time imprisonment given the seriousness of the crime, the harm done to the victims and to denounce their actions.

Saleh and Salim will be eligible for parole in July and April 2024, respectively.

The men applied for release on bail after their lawyer applied to appeal the sentence in the District Court.

The court heard the men had already been on bail without infringement for almost 18 months.

The court also heard Saleh’s wife was pregnant and she was due to give birth next month.

Mr Donnelly there was a chance Salim‘s sentence could be changed to be served in the community, noting his actions in the crime were less serious and granted him bail where he must report to police once a week.

However, Mr Donnelly said it was unlikely Saleh‘s sentence would change on appeal and refused to grant him bail.