Abdallah found guilty of flatmate killing

Sydney woman Katherine Abdallah has been found guilty of killing her 21-year-old housemate following a fight about her Mercedes.

Katherine Abdallah

A Sydney woman who stabbed her 21-year-old housemate to death has been found guilty of manslaughter. (AAP)

Two years after CCTV footage captured the moment 21-year-old Suzie Sarkis was stabbed to death in her Sydney home, her flatmate Katherine Abdallah has been found guilty of killing her.

What the jury didn't know was that her sister Christine Sarkis had claimed Abdallah had previously waved a knife at her.

Abdallah hung her head in the dock after a jury handed down their majority verdict finding her not guilty of murder but guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Speaking outside court, Abdallah maintained she acted in self defence when she stabbed Ms Sarkis during a violent argument at their Brighton-Le-Sands townhouse on February 9, 2013.

"The footage speaks for itself," she told reporters.

During the course of the trial, the jury were shown the footage from inside the home which captured Ms Sarkis's final moments.

She is seen picking up a large glass vase and smashing it on the floor before kicking and hitting Abdallah.

The 33-year-old fights back, hitting her with a pack of four drink cans before running into the kitchen, arming herself with two knives and striking out at the 21-year-old.

Ms Sarkis is seen grabbing her chest and walking a few steps before collapsing.

The jury heard Abdallah had initially told police there had been a fight involving another girl "Amy", and that the mystery woman had inflicted the wounds.

It was only after detectives revealed they had found the CCTV footage that Abdallah recanted this version.

A transcript of the triple zero call made by Abdallah moments after the stabbing records her screaming and breathing heavily, saying "Please, please, there was a bit of an accident in the house, a bit of a fight".

"She's on the ground, she's just shaking her head, she's just ... her eyes are open but she's not talking."

The jury also heard the pair had fought the day before because Ms Sarkis had damaged Abdallah's Mercedes after being pulled over by police for speeding.

Senior Constable Yasir Khan said Abdallah had told him, "She (Ms Sarkis) is going to be in serious trouble ... You guys will probably get called back."

What was not put before a jury was evidence given by Ms Sarkis's sister Christine at a committal hearing last year.

Christine said she and Abdallah had come from close-knit Lebanese families but she had tried to distance herself from the 33-year-old in the months leading up to her sister's death.

In November 2012, Christine said she had gone to Abdallah's home and had a protracted verbal argument.

When she turned to leave, Christine alleged Abdallah grabbed a knife from the kitchen and "began waving it around and screaming".

Christine said she got a minor cut on her wrist before running to her car and driving away.

Abdallah remains on bail and is due to return to court on Friday for a mention.


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Source: AAP


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