Accused wife killer Dinush Kurera claims daughter didn’t try to restrain him

An accused wife killer claims his daughter – who told a jury she desperately tried to defend her mum from his deadly axe attack at their Sandhurst home – didn’t attempt to restrain him but instead gave him an affectionate “hug”.

Nelomie Perera was allegedly murdered in her Sandhurst home in December 2022 by her estranged husband. Picture: Supplied

An accused wife killer claims his daughter – who told a jury she desperately tried to defend her mum from his deadly axe attack – didn’t attempt to restrain him but instead gave him an affectionate “hug”.

Dinush Kurera, who says he killed Nelomie Perera with a hatchet in self defence, told his Supreme Court murder trial his daughter “came up to me and she hugged me” the night his estranged wife was beaten to death with more than two dozen blows on December 3, 2022.

The girl, 18, earlier told the court she rushed downstairs upon hearing her mother’s screams that night and tried to push her “aggressive” father – who suddenly reappeared after being in Sri Lanka for months – away as he gripped an axe.

But Mr Kurera said his daughter went straight up to him and hugged him because “that’s the first time she’s seen me in four months”.

“As opposed to trying to restrain you … from what you were then doing to Nelomie, it wasn’t an affectionate hug it was a restraining hug,” Crown prosecutor Mark Gibson KC put to the accused murderer as he took the stand on Friday.

“I disagree,” Mr Kurera replied.

Accused wife killer Dinush Kurera says he killed Nelomie Perera with a hatchet in self defence.

The 47-year-old, who has pleaded not guilty to murder, gave evidence over two days about his wife’s death, which he claimed occurred as he tried to defend himself when she grabbed a knife.

Mr Kurera was asked why he went to the family’s Sandhurst home in the dead of night at 11.25pm after returning from overseas, parking 500m away, breaking through a back fence armed with a hatchet, jerry can of gasoline, wearing gloves and dressed in black.

“I just go there to get my meds and see my kids,” he replied.

Terrifying audio was played to the court – captured on a gadget worn by Ms Perera over family violence concerns – where the mum of two could be heard yelling ‘help me, help me’ as her teenage daughter screamed in the background.

Mr Gibson suggested this was the moment Mr Kurera repeatedly hacked his wife to death with the axe as his horrified daughter watched on, with sounds of thuds captured on audio.

But he denied it.

During this alleged attack, Mr Kurera could be heard on the audio yelling his daughter’s name then saying, “I’ve got nothing to lose, get out of here.”

Mr Kurera claimed he could only remember hitting his wife twice despite her suffering more than two dozen blows.

“I was scared of my life because she was trying to hit me … she was trying to stab me,” he said.

Mr Gibson said it was a “sustained, vicious and brutal attack on your wife when she was on the ground”.

“I was in such shock, I was scared, I can’t remember,” Mr Kurera said.

Mr Gibson asked why, then, did he tell police, “I killed my wife, she’s over there.”

The trial, before Justice Amanda Fox, continues.