The unbelievable moment a man crashes his Mercedes into a McDonald’s as part of a shocking attack on his girlfriend has been released by a judge after it was captured on CCTV.
Abbas Hayder Al-Khafaji was convinced his on-and-off girlfriend was cheating on him when he met her in the car park of the restaurant in Sydney, Australia, in February last year.
Security footage from outside the restuarant shows the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, trying to call police and running inside.
Al-Khafaji then drives through a glass window and into tables and chairs before getting out of the car and chasing her into the kitchen.
Shocked staff watched on in horror as he brandished a knife as the terrified woman tried to defend herself with a broom.
The store manager tried to talk to Al-Khafaji who was shouting and waving the knife, while his victim grabbed a glass bottle.
After five minutes, Al-Khafaji reversed his damaged car out of the restaurant and drove back to his home, where he was arrested.
The video was released during Al-Khafaji’s sentencing hearing on Thursday at Campbelltown District Court.
Judge Tanya Smith has ordered the release of the CCTV footage to draw attention to the surge in violent and life-threatening offences.
Al-Khafaji has pleaded guilty to using an offensive weapon with an intent to commit an indictable offence, destroying or damaging property worth between $5000 and $15,000, and contravening the conditions of an AVO.
He could be sentenced to up to 12 years in prison.
His victim told the court she felt “emotionally manipulated” to stay in the seven-year abusive relationship, and Al-Khafaji would turn to drugs and self-harm when she tried to leave, according to local media.
She eventually left Al-Khafaji, but not without “explosive repercussions”, she told the court.
Judge Smith heard that Al-Khafaji had been diagnosed with psychosis and before the attack, had started “self medicating” with cannabis, AAP reported.
Al-Khafaji’s lawyer said his client was not in control of his actions.
He added his client had started hearing “voices” and thought something was trying to control him through his PlayStation, according to AAP.
Judge Smith will deliver her judgment on May 12.
