Nazar Younan thought wife was Satan when he allegedly slashed her throat
A mentally ill man who is accused of slashing his wife’s throat, telling police he thought she was Satan, will be released from prison on strict bail conditions.
Nazar Younan appeared in the NSW Supreme Court on Friday to apply for bail after spending more than two months behind bars on remand.
The 55-year-old allegedly slashed his wife’s throat at their western Sydney home on the morning of January 2 while he was in the throes of a psychotic episode.
The court was told the couple were in bed together when he got up and retrieved a knife from the kitchen that he used to slash her throat.
Mr Younan believed his wife was the devil and he was Jesus sent to destroy her, the court was told.
Mr Younan’s lawyer Greg Jones told NCA NewsWire the 54-year-old woman was now in a stable condition and recovering from the “life-threatening” wound.
Her husband was arrested on the day of his wife’s attack and charged with grievous bodily harm with the intent to murder.
The court was told he was a diagnosed schizophrenic, but he had not been taking his medication at the time of the alleged attack on his wife.
“There is no doubt that Mr Younan suffers from a very significant mental illness,” Justice Richard Weinstein said.
“For quite a long time really, from the material at least 15 years, he has been suffering from some psychotic illness or another.”
The court was told the 55-year-old had previously experienced psychotic episodes in the community but had not harmed anyone.
However, Crown prosecutor Stephen Makin noted there was a “significant risk” that noncompliance with his medication would lead to further violent offending.
“The real issue the Crown points to is risk,” he said.
“The risk is to himself and others who are close to him.”
Justice Richard Weinstein agreed the alleged offending was “very serious” but said it could be mitigated by “very significant restrictions” on bail.
He cited a medical report in which the treating doctor said Mr Younan had stabilised due to medication and was no longer considered a threat to himself or anyone else.
Justice Weinstein emphasised the support of Mr Younan’s “loving family”, many of whom were in court on Friday.
He granted bail under conditions that would effectively place the 55-year-old under house arrest with his family.
He will be allowed to leave the house only for medical or court purposes and only in the company of two siblings.
Mr Younan has also commissioned the help of an organisation called Bail Safe, which will ensure he meets with a GP, psychologist, social worker and case manager.
“These are very stringent conditions of bail, among the most stringent one can impose,” Justice Weinstein warned.
While the white-bearded man had very little reaction to the proceedings, his family were visibly relieved at the result.
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