Mohamed Naddaf slammed by mother-in-law as manslaughter sentence appeal fails

He left his savagely beaten wife to die an agonising death on the bathroom floor over five days. But wife-killer Mohamed Naddaf’s next move subjected his grieving mother-in-law to even more trauma.

A man jailed for leaving his wife to die after claiming to find her bound and beaten has failed in a bid to appeal his sentence.

Ashlee Brown was brutally beaten and left to die on the bathroom floor of her Craigieburn home in November 2016.

No one has ever been held responsible for causing more than 100 injuries that led to her death, with her husband Mohamed Naddaf telling police he found her beaten and bound inside their garage.

He was jailed for a minimum of eight years after pleading guilty to negligent manslaughter for failing to seek medical assistance for the 25-year-old.

Nadaff tried to appeal that sentence but the Court of Appeal today refused him leave to do so.

Outside court Ms Brown’s mother, Siobhan Brown, said she felt justice had been done.

Ashlee Brown with husband Mohamed Naddaf, who failed to seek help before his wife’s agonising death.

Mrs Brown believes her daughter died as part of an Islamic honour killing.

“We do not have to accept these things, but we must continue to raise awareness and educate as many as we can on this sadly rapidly growing horror we have come to know as domestic violence,” she said.

“In Ashlee’s case, it was Islam.”

Mrs Brown said her faith in the justice system had been strengthened by today’s Court of Appeal decision.

“But there’s more to be done. Domestic violence in any way, shape, or form, should no longer be accepted,” she said.

“For too long we have sat back and watched unspeakable terrors with very lenient sentences or parole given to offenders that have in many instances gone on to offend, in some cases murder.

Ashlee Brown’s mother, Siobhan, says her daughter’s death was an Islamic honour killing. Picture: AAP Image/David Crosling

“We need harsher penalties, and quite frankly an overhaul of the way investigations can be more thorough and hold more power as well as punishments.

“The severity of the sentence should match the severity of the injuries inflicted and or death, sadly, in a lot more cases.

“Today, justice for Ashlee has been served. Our Ashlee can fully rest in peace.”

Mrs Brown does not accept Naddaf’s version of events concerning her daughter’s death.

No one was ever held responsible for Ashlee Brown’s death.

Naddaf claimed he found Ms Brown in the passenger seat of the couple’s car, beaten and tied up with clothesline wire.

He claimed Ms Brown begged him not to call for help.

Bloodstains were found throughout the garage and car, and Ms Brown had cuts and bruises across her body, which worsened over subsequent days.

Naddaf said he helped Ms Brown to the bathroom, laying her on the floor and fed her water through a syringe for five days.

He only called triple-0 after Ms Brown died from complications arising from her numerous injuries, and internal and external bleeding.

An autopsy confirmed Ms Brown suffered multiple blunt and sharp force trauma injuries to her head, buttocks, torso, arms and legs including stab wounds to her thighs.

By the time ambulance officers arrived, Ms Brown had been dead for some time.

In sentencing him to an 11-year maximum prison term Supreme Court justice John Champion described Naddaf’s attempts at caring for Ms Brown as “feeble and derisory” and “deserving of condemnation”.

“She lay on the floor of the bathroom for four to five days where you allowed her deterioration,” he said.

“All that was required was a phone call. Her death was slow, avoidable and miserable.”

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