The parents and older brother of a young Adelaide woman have been sentenced to prison for their roles in a violent attack stemming from her relationship with a Christian man.
The court was told that 21-year-old victim, whose identity remains suppressed, was repeatedly stabbed by her father in the abdomen with a large kitchen knife at the Sefton Plaza Shopping Centre car park in November 2021.
The attack, which resulted in severe internal injuries, has been described in court as an “attempted honour killing.”
On Monday, the Supreme Court heard that the woman’s traditional Pashtun Muslim family strongly disapproved of her relationship with a Christian man, whom she had met at university.
It was reported that the woman’s father, mother, sister, and two brothers conspired to track her down and forcibly bring her back to the family home.
Justice Sandi McDonald noted the egregious nature of the crime, highlighting the family’s collective betrayal of the victim.
“It is a particularly egregious feature of this offending that having seen [the victim] repeatedly stabbed by a knife, neither her brother, her sister nor her mother did anything to assist her, protect her or comfort her.”
The victim’s father, who pleaded guilty to an aggravated charge of causing serious harm with intent, was sentenced to 14 years and three months in prison, with a non-parole period of nine years.
The eldest brother received a nine-year, five-month sentence, with a non-parole period of six years.
The mother was sentenced to five years and five months, with a non-parole period of three years and two months.
Justice McDonald emphasised that the mother’s role in orchestrating the attack was pivotal.
“Your conduct set the wheels in motion that led up to a plan to physically manhandle your daughter into a car and abduct her in a public place in broad daylight,” Justice McDonald stated.
“One would have expected the ordinary maternal reaction would have been to protect your daughter … you appeared remarkably calm, you did not seem particularly concerned about her.”
The victim’s sister and brother-in-law received suspended sentences and were placed on good behaviour bonds, while the younger brother, who was not directly involved in the stabbing but helped track down the victim, also received a suspended sentence under the same condition.
The court’s decision underscores the severity of the crime and the necessity of publicly denouncing such behaviour. Justice McDonald concluded by sending a clear message that cultural or religious beliefs cannot justify such violent actions.
The victim, who suffered a perforated kidney, lacerated liver, and significant internal bleeding, continues to recover from the traumatic event.
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