Vic: Minimum seven years' jail for drug debt killing

AAP General News (Australia)
12-23-2008
Vic: Minimum seven years' jail for drug debt killing

By Michelle Draper

MELBOURNE, Dec 23 AAP - A man who killed the brother of a Melbourne underworld figure
was being pursued for a $2,000 drug debt and blamed his victim for his girlfriend's drug
addiction, a court has heard.

Mahmoud Taiba, 32, formerly of Noble Park, was sentenced on Tuesday to a minimum of
seven years in jail for the fatal stabbing of Haysan Zayat in February last year.

Taiba had known Mr Zayat for about 20 years but had been friendlier with his brothers,
both of whom are now dead.

One of the brothers, Housam Zayat, was murdered in 2003 during Melbourne's gangland war.

Taiba entered Mr Zayat's home in Templewood Drive in Noble Park early on February 6
and went to the bedroom, where he stabbed Mr Zayat three times in the chest with a knife.

The attack was witnessed by the victim's former girlfriend.

Victorian Supreme Court Justice Paul Coghlan said Taiba told police he heard the woman
call out and, afraid she had woken Mr Zayat, feared for his life.

"You stabbed him because you were afraid he might shoot you," Justice Coghlan said
in sentencing Taiba on Tuesday

Taiba stole Mr Zayat's gun, two laptops and a digital camera, and fled the scene in
the woman's car.

He was arrested two days later in a hotel in Tullamarine, near Melbourne Airport.

Taiba pleaded guilty last month to one count of defensive homicide.

Justice Coghlan said Taiba had accumulated a $2,000 debt for "ice" bought from Mr Zayat
in 2006 and was being "pressed for payment."

At the time of the attack, Taiba was upset that his girlfriend of five years, Mary
Marasco, had moved out of their home and threatened to end their relationship.

He was using a large amount of drugs.

Taiba told police of his affection for Ms Marasco and appeared to blame Mr Zayat for
getting her "onto ice", Justice Coghlan said.

He described Taiba as a loner whose one relationship had been with Ms Marasco.

Taiba, who came to Australia from Lebanon when he was seven or eight, later became
a ward of the state.

He started using cannabis at age 15 but didn't like it, so turned to heroin and ice.

"You undoubtedly were under the influence of drugs at the time you committed this offence,"

Justice Coghlan said.

"This is a serious crime which carries a head sentence of 20 years.

"It involved the killing of a man in his own home."

Taiba has 91 prior convictions, including for dishonesty, assaulting and resisting
police officers, and for intentionally and recklessly causing serious injury.

Justice Coghlan sentenced Taiba to a maximum of nine years jail with a non parole period
of seven.

AAP md/pmu/cdh

KEYWORD: TAIBA WRAP

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