Dinush Kurera acting in ‘self-preservation’ when he allegedly killed Nelomie Perera, jury told

The man “defended himself” when he allegedly killed his wife in front of their children because she attacked him first, a jury has been told.

Dinush Kurera has been charged with the murder of his ex-partner, Nelomie Perera.

A husband was acting in “self-preservation” when he allegedly hacked his estranged wife to death in front of their children, his lawyer has told a jury.

Dinush Kurera, 47, is charged with the murder of his former partner Nelomie Perera, 43, after he allegedly broke into their home in Sandhurst in Melbourne’s southeast and attacked her with a hatchet and kitchen knife.

On the second day of his Supreme Court trial, defence barrister John Desmond told the jury his client admitted killing his wife of 17 years but claimed he was acting in “self-preservation” because she attacked him first.

“The defence case is that he did what any person would do,” he said on Wednesday.

“He defended himself.”

Dinush Kurera has been charged with the murder of his ex-partner, Nelomie Perera, who was found dead in her Sandhurst home December 3, 2022.

The lawyer said Ms Perera attacked her husband in a “wild rage, violently swinging this large kitchen knife” in an attempt to kill him.

He said “rage met rage” as they grappled over the blade before Mr Kurera killed his wife in self-defence.

The jury was shown graphic footage taken by police of the scene, showing Ms Perera lying face up in a pool of blood on the kitchen floor.

Her face is covered in blood and a hatchet and silver knife with blood stains are on the ground beside her.

Wearing a black suit, Mr Kurera sat with his arms crossed and silently watched on from the dock as the recording was played to the court.

The court heard the fatal incident took place in front of the couple’s teenage daughter, who will be called to give evidence, but Mr Desmond said her claims that her father attacked her mother were false.

Mr Kurera also denied attacking his son with a hatchet.

Nelomie Perera was allegedly hacked to death by Dinush Kurera in front of their children.

The jury was told Ms Perera was attempting to divorce her husband and sell their home after she learnt he was having an affair with a woman in Sri Lanka, where he had been residing for several months.

Prosecutors allege Mr Kurera gained access to the property by breaking a back fence with a crowbar before he attacked his wife while she was outside having a cigarette around 11.30pm on December 3, 2022.

He was allegedly dressed in dark-coloured clothing and carrying a jerry can with petrol, a lighter and a hatchet.

But Mr Desmond said the fuel was so his client could fill up a motorbike.

The court heard the couple’s two teenage children rushed downstairs after hearing their mother’s screams, finding her on the ground as their father raised the hatchet.

Mr Kurera allegedly told his family he wanted to talk and they moved into the living room, where he berated her saying she had ruined his life.

Crown prosecutor Mark Gibson KC said the accused man flew into a fit of rage and killed his wife after one of his children confirmed she had been seeing other men.

On Tuesday, distressing audio recorded on a safety wristwatch Ms Perera was wearing at the time of her death was played to the court, in which she could be heard repeatedly screaming “help me” as she was allegedly attacked.

“My wife f—king other people,” her husband allegedly told police after his arrest.

As he was being transferred to hospital, he allegedly told a paramedic “this bitch kicked me out from own home” and “I’m living in a f—king car, what else do you want me to do”.

The prosecutor said Ms Perera was fearful of her husband, and was receiving help from family violence support services prior to her death.

On Wednesday, Ms Perera’s younger sister, Minoli Perera. told the court her sibling moved into their parent’s home for a couple of weeks in 2013, after her husband assaulted her with a hammer and stomped on her head during a fight.

In September 2021, Minoli said her sister called her while she was crying, saying she’d discovered her husband was having an affair with another woman.

“He basically didn’t deny it, then she asked him to leave,” she said.

In her police statement, Minoli said the couple rekindled their relationship but her sister caught her husband speaking to the woman again.

The trial continues.

Originally published as Dinush Kurera acting in ‘self-preservation’ when he allegedly killed Nelomie Perera, jury told