by Cam Lucadou-Wells
A masked, axe-wielding attacker who slashed a victim in their own home in Dandenong has been sentenced.
South East resident Alimadad Moradi, 38, pleaded guilty after a sentence indication at the Victorian County Court to intentionally causing injury.
In the lead-up to the attack, the victim was allegedly concerned by Moradi’s visits to the house in the middle of the night.
He warned Moradi to stop or he’d call the police.
Moradi allegedly replied with words to the effect of he “didn’t give a f***” and threatened to kill the victim, sentencing judge George Georgiou noted on 22 October.
On 1 February 2023, the victim was in bed when he heard a noise in his backyard.
Upon entering the kitchen, he saw Moradi in black clothing and a face covering.
Moradi approached, allegedly swinging an axe at the victim who put up his arms to protect himself.
The weapon struck his arm, shoulder and head.
During the ensuing fight, the victim managed to push Moradi outside. The attacker fled over a fence.
The bleeding victim was treated at the scene for injuries including a deep wound and fracture to his forearm and a broken little toe.
He was taken to Dandenong Hospital and requires ongoing physiotherapy.
During a police interview, Moradi made no admissions and several false comments, Judge Georgiou noted.
His attack was a “mid to high range of serious” example of the charge – inflicted in disguise, in the early hours and in the home of the victim.
However, the prosecution couldn’t refute that Moradi may have been armed in self-defence given the history between him and the victim.
Judge Georgiou found the attack was “spur of the moment” when confronted by the victim – not planned or premeditated.
And on the balance of probabilities that Moradi was invited to the home by one of the housemates – though that was no justification for the “completely unacceptable” assault.
Moradi had no other convictions, complied with bail conditions including a night curfew, and had “very good” rehabilitation prospects, the judge noted.
The Hazara refugee was also anxious about his potential deportation to Afghanistan.
In 2012, he had fled Afghanistan with a Taliban death sentence hanging over his head for his work for US “infidels”.
The Taliban had murdered his brother and brother-in-law for their work for the US, and kidnapped his father – and he’d never heard from his father since.
Since being intercepted in a boat bound for Australia in 2013, Moradi has been on a temporary visa and established a stonemasonry business.
He was hopeful of gaining permanent residency.
During the case, Moradi was assaulted twice by people outside Dandenong Magistrates’ Court and the Victorian County Court.
In one of the attacks, his shirt was ripped from him and his glasses taken and smashed.
To Moradi’s credit, he didn’t respond to the attackers, Judge Georgiou noted.
He was sentenced to 10 months jail – already served in remand – with a 30-month community corrections order starting immediately.
The supervised CCO includes 250 hours of unpaid work as well as mental health treatment.
