Abdul Abu-Mahmoud ordered killing of teen in revenge for nephew’s death
A Sydney uncle who ordered the brutal execution of a 15-year-old boy in retribution for his nephew’s death has been found guilty of murder. READ DETAILS OF KILLER’S DESPERATE JAIL LETTER TO MASTERMIND
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A Sydney uncle who ordered the brutal execution of a 15-year-old boy in retribution for his nephew’s death has been found guilty of murder.
Abdul Abu-Mahmoud, of Bass Hill, clasped his head with his hands as the verdict was read out in the NSW Supreme Court on Thursday after he pleaded not guilty to murdering Brayden Dillon, who was shot dead as he slept in his Glenfield family home on Good Friday in 2017.
The court was told Abu-Mahmoud, 35, grew bent on exacting revenge when his nephew, Adam Abu-Mahmoud, 18, was fatally stabbed after a violent street brawl between two groups in Panania in 2016.
Prosecutors alleged Abu-Mahmoud, who got a tattoo saying “eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth and blood for blood”, first wanted to target Joshua Dillon, 22, who was arrested and charged over the stabbing but later acquitted of murder due to self-defence after a trial in October 2019.
While on remand Dillon was kept in protective custody so Abu-Mahmoud instead shifted his attention to his younger brother Brayden, the court heard.
After a judge-alone trial, Justice Ian Harrison yesterday ruled Abu-Mahmoud enlisted an ex-prisoner, Conrad Craig, to carry out the hit on Brayden.
Abu-Mahmoud picked up Craig from Cessnock Jail when he was released and handed over $20,000 in cash and a gun.
The judge found Abu-Mahmoud guilty of soliciting to murder Joshua Dillon, soliciting to murder Brayden and murdering Bradyen by ordering the hit but not guilty to a lesser charge of firing a firearm at a dwelling.
“The Crown alleges Abu-Mahmoud had a particular state of mind, a desire for violent or fatal retribution against those he held responsible for the death of his nephew,” Justice Harrison said.
“I’m satisfied beyond reasonable doubt … he was aware that Conrad Craig planned to carry out the murder of Brayden Dillon by going to his house and shooting him and that he picked him up from Cessnock jail in order to assist him.”
Craig, who burst into Brayden’s room before opening fire, was sentenced in July to a minimum 30 years in jail over the killing.
Abu-Mahmoud will be sentenced at a later date.
A desperate jail letter
Justice Harrison told the court Conrad had written a letter to Abu-Mahmoud when they were both behind bars on remand in January 2019, when he was feeling isolated and in a distressed state.
The judge interpreted Craig’s letter as an apology to Abu-Mahmoud for having told police about Abu-Mahmoud’s involvement in the murder and also to give him a “heads up” that he was going to tell police he did not intend to kill Dillon.
“Craig appears to me to be indicating that he proposes to plead guilty and that in doing so he will attempt to do his best to limit the fallout for Abu-Mahmoud, who he suggests should plead guilty as well,” Justice Harrison said.
“(The letter was) to give him a heads up that he was telling the police that he only went to the house to kneecap him and that, in effect, Abu-Mahmoud would be well advised to adopt the same approach.”
The letter begins with Conrad talking about self-harming in jail before moving onto the topic of a plea deal.
“I’ve got that many new scars all over my body from slashing or burning stabing myself you got gronks like that Simmo and other c...ts doin jail easy goin home in couple months and me looking at 30 – 40,” Craig wrote.
“All this headache to both us me and you and our families I put an end to it I know you would not tell them it was me who killed him so I did I admitted killing him but at no time did I intend of goin there to his house to kill him only to shoot him in the knee/leg’s but as I was not familiar with the firearm it went off I ran away.
“Try get a plea deal for conspiring to cause GBH or ABH whatever it is if they ain’t taken I will give evidence to tell them what happened it was never your intention for getting me to kill him just shoot him in leg I will try roll with whatever I get,” he wrote.
Craig, who burst into Brayden’s room before opening fire, was sentenced to a minimum 30-year jail sentence over the killing in July.
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The guilty verdict
Abu-Mahmoud waved goodbye to distraught family members in the public gallery of the dock before he was led away to the cells.
Outside court, Acting Inspector Luke Scott said Brayden’s family was happy with Abu-Mahmoud’s guilty verdict.
“The family and we are very happy with the result — it’s been three-and-a-half years since the murder of Brayden Dillon and this is just one small step in the quest for justice,” he said.
“Obviously there are still a number of people before the courts so I’m limited in what I can say in relation to it, other than to say this was an extremely heinous murder that involved a child.
“This investigation has not concluded, the investigation is ongoing and if there is anybody out there that has information in relation to this murder or the lead up to it, please contact us.”
Acting Inspector Scott said Brayden’s parents were relieved.
“I’ve spoken with both Brayden’s parents and they are extremely satisfied with the result,” he said.
“There’s still a long way to go and we’re only one step further in the quest for justice for Brayden.”