Gumleaf
March 28th, 2008, 05:43 AM
Friday Mar 28 17:50 AEDT
A man attacked his girlfriend and then refused to go to hospital to see her before she died because he had not finished his beer, a Sydney judge has been told.
During a sentencing hearing in the NSW Supreme Court on Friday, Justice Roderick Howie was told Edward David Zammit threw the woman against a fridge and a cupboard, after she told his ex-girlfriend that he sometimes hit her.
The court was told Deslie Ward had stopped breathing and had no pulse by the time an ambulance arrived, but Zammit declined to go to hospital with her, saying he was waiting on phone calls.
When she began showing signs of life and he was again urged to go to the hospital, Zammit declined, saying: "I'm waiting for phone calls and besides that they just poured me a beer".
Zammit, 55, of Dharruk, in Sydney's west, has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Ms Ward in May 2006.
Prosecutor John Kiely, SC, said the Crown accepted the plea on the basis that Zammit caused her death by his unlawful and dangerous actions.
According to a tendered statement of facts, Zammit, Ms Ward and his ex-girlfriend Christine Jennings drank cask wine and beer on May 15, 2006.
Later that evening, Ms Jennings asked Ms Ward whether Zammit hit her from time to time, to which she replied that he did.
The conversation had upset Zammit and after Ms Jennings left, he began swearing at his partner, saying for "f*** sake, what did you say that for".
"(he) then grabbed (her) by clothes she was wearing and threw her with a great deal of force into the refrigerator area of the kitchen," the statement said.
"(She) bounced off the refrigerator and hit her ribs on the bench top."
Ms Ward then went to bed, moaning and groaning, and when they woke the next day, Zammit continued to berate her.
He again grabbed Ms Ward and threw her against a cupboard, causing her to fall to the floor.
"(he) told police that he knew (she) was in pain and that she was having trouble breathing 'but she wouldn't want me to do anything about it'," the statement said.
His barrister, Paul Winch, told the judge of Zammit's serious liver problems, which made his incarceration more difficult than if he was healthy.
Hospitalisation was required when he had "turns", which included blacking out and seizures.
Justice Howie adjourned the hearing for his decision on April 9.
A man attacked his girlfriend and then refused to go to hospital to see her before she died because he had not finished his beer, a Sydney judge has been told.
During a sentencing hearing in the NSW Supreme Court on Friday, Justice Roderick Howie was told Edward David Zammit threw the woman against a fridge and a cupboard, after she told his ex-girlfriend that he sometimes hit her.
The court was told Deslie Ward had stopped breathing and had no pulse by the time an ambulance arrived, but Zammit declined to go to hospital with her, saying he was waiting on phone calls.
When she began showing signs of life and he was again urged to go to the hospital, Zammit declined, saying: "I'm waiting for phone calls and besides that they just poured me a beer".
Zammit, 55, of Dharruk, in Sydney's west, has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Ms Ward in May 2006.
Prosecutor John Kiely, SC, said the Crown accepted the plea on the basis that Zammit caused her death by his unlawful and dangerous actions.
According to a tendered statement of facts, Zammit, Ms Ward and his ex-girlfriend Christine Jennings drank cask wine and beer on May 15, 2006.
Later that evening, Ms Jennings asked Ms Ward whether Zammit hit her from time to time, to which she replied that he did.
The conversation had upset Zammit and after Ms Jennings left, he began swearing at his partner, saying for "f*** sake, what did you say that for".
"(he) then grabbed (her) by clothes she was wearing and threw her with a great deal of force into the refrigerator area of the kitchen," the statement said.
"(She) bounced off the refrigerator and hit her ribs on the bench top."
Ms Ward then went to bed, moaning and groaning, and when they woke the next day, Zammit continued to berate her.
He again grabbed Ms Ward and threw her against a cupboard, causing her to fall to the floor.
"(he) told police that he knew (she) was in pain and that she was having trouble breathing 'but she wouldn't want me to do anything about it'," the statement said.
His barrister, Paul Winch, told the judge of Zammit's serious liver problems, which made his incarceration more difficult than if he was healthy.
Hospitalisation was required when he had "turns", which included blacking out and seizures.
Justice Howie adjourned the hearing for his decision on April 9.