Guilty verdict for partner’s murder

A South Hedland man has been found guilty of murdering his partner, brutally bashing her to death.

A jury took less than two hours after a five-day jury trial at the South Hedland Supreme Court to decide that Razak Simon Bin Saad, 34, was guilty of murdering his 29-year-old partner.

Bin Saad had fought the allegation that he intended to murder the woman, who, the court was told, he met in July, 2015, at a bus stop.

The incident took place sometime between December 11 and 12, 2015, at the home the couple shared on Brodie Crescent in South Hedland.

At the opening of the Supreme Court trial on Monday, State Prosecutor Brad Hollingsworth said the damage to the woman’s body was extensive, indicating she had been punched, kicked, stamped in her back and in her rib cage, causing collapse of both her lungs and breakage of her ribs in 17 places.

Detectives, forensics officers, and members of the Perth major crime squad provided expert evidence in court, showing supporting video footage and photographs to the court, including blood pattern analysis.

Mr Hollingsworth told the court forensic pathologists found 104 injuries on the outside of the woman’s body, including lacerations to her forehead, ears, back of head, dental injuries and a fractured jaw.

Mr Hollingsworth said from the State’s perspective, manslaughter was “not good enough” in the case.

“I don’t know how someone does so many different rib fractures without wanting to hurt someone,” he said. “How many times does someone have to hit someone before they murder them?

“The evidence proved that he killed her in a reckless intent, guilty of murder.”

Pathwest consultant forensic pathologist Jodi White provided evidence on Wednesday and Thursday and confirmed the post mortem she performed on the deceased indicated her chest injuries were so bad they led to respiratory failure, which was what killed her.

Bin Saad’s defence lawyer Tony Hager said cases such as this were as serious as they could get but the jury needed to decide on whether he intended to kill his partner or not.

“This was an extremely intoxicated man without intent. It would be difficult to conclude there was any mindful thought at all,” he said.

Mr Hager said it had been made clear by all witnesses that a large amount of alcohol had been consumed.

“The battleground of this case is a very discrete one. The trial starts and ends with the battleground of intent,” he said.

“Cases like this are difficult. The deceased wasn’t shot, wasn’t strangled, and wasn’t pre-meditated.”

Mr Hager contended that if his client intended on killing his partner, it would have been easier to pick up a knife or a weapon.