Wednesday August 30, 2017
A Somali refugee is behind bars after being sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for a "vicious and cowardly" machete attack in Brisbane's south, during which he tried to kill his former partner.
Earlier this year, a Brisbane Supreme Court jury found Muhumed Samow Ali guilty of trying to kill the woman when he rammed her car, chased her down a suburban Wacol street and struck her several times with the weapon in September 2015.
Justice Roslyn Atkinson on Tuesday sentenced the 53-year-old to a head term of 10 years imprisonment, describing the crime as a public attack on a "defenceless woman" who wanted to end their relationship.
The victim, who sustained significant but not life-threatening injuries, described an inability to trust men and the loss of her previous confident character in the aftermath of the attack in an impact statement.
Justice Atkinson noted the father of seven had endured extreme violence, war and poverty in Africa - including roughly 15 years in an Ethiopian refugee camp - but said his victim was entitled to end their relationship without fear of "violent retribution".
She found he held an intent to kill "at all times" during the attack, from when he drove into the street and collided with his victim's car, to the point where he dealt his final blow.
Justice Atkinson took a lack of English courses in custody into account and declared more than 700 days already spent in custody as time already served.
Ali will be required to serve 80 per cent of his term before being released on parole.