Sleiman Elali: Peakhurst man imprisoned after beating neighbour with metal pole

A father-of-four who jumped a fence to beat his elderly neighbour with a metal pole “within an inch of his life” has told the court the incident followed threats the neighbour would rape his wife.

A father-of-four who savagely beat his elderly neighbour with a metal pole has claimed the man threatened to rape and kill his wife.

Sleiman Elali, 34, of Peakhurst, had been found guilty of reckless wounding at an earlier date and appeared before Bankstown Local Court to learn his sentence on Thursday.

The court heard on August 11, 2020, Elali was sitting in his backyard having a cigarette when his neighbour said something to him. After words were exchanged, he grabbed a metal pole, threw it over the fence, picked it up, and savagely beat his neighbour with it before returning home.

The court heard his neighbour, aged 70, was in hospital for a significant amount of time after the assault.

Elali was represented in court by lawyer Rebekah Rodger who told the court the neighbour had been abusive towards the Peakhurst’s man family for three years, including threats of raping his wife and hurting his family.

Sleiman Elali. Picture: Paul Brescia

“My client did not respond, other than going to the police for a number of years,” Ms Rodger said. “The behaviour of the victim contributed to the offence. I’m not saying that to excuse it, but my client was calm, happy and relaxed until something happened that afternoon.”

Magistrate Shane McAnulty said he did not make any ‘findings of fact’ in relation to the alleged abusive comments from the victim.

Sleiman Elali (right) with his wife outside of Bankstown Local Court. Picture: Paul Brescia

“They are his beliefs, not my findings of facts,” Mr McAnulty said.

Ms Rodger applied for Elali to be sentenced under a mental health provision, telling the court her client had PTSD after losing a child, which is why he reacted to the perceived threats against his family.

“In this case there is a strong causal link between diagnosis and behaviour,” Ms Rodger said.

Elali had since moved away from his neighbour and provided references from his current neighbours he is of good character, his lawyer told the court.

Mr McAnulty denied the mental health application, telling the court he took into account the seriousness of the offence, circumstances in which it happened, and length of a treatment order he could impose.

Ms Rodger then asked the court to deal with her client through an intensive corrections order, where a prison sentence can be served in the community.

“It is unlikely this specific set of circumstances is going to arise again,” Ms Rodger said. “He has good prospects of rehabilitation.”

Elali was sentenced at Bankstown Local Court.

Mr McAnulty denied the request, sentencing Elali to 18 months imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 12 months.

His wife cried as he was taken away from court, while Elali did not show any emotion.

Elali’s legal team immediately appealed the sentence, applying for Elali to be bailed until an appeal was heard.

Granting bail, Mr McAnulty said: “You can’t throw a pole over the fence and beat the man within an inch of his life.

“If he had such a short fuse in relation to sensitivity to his family, anybody in the street who says something untoward is at risk of him ‘losing it’ so to speak.”

Elali will appeal the matter in the District Court on September 30.