Man's apology after paralysing wife
A Sydney man who shot his wife and severed her spine, leaving her unable to walk, has issued an apology through the court, vowing to always make her feel 'safe, loved and cherished'.
Kamal El Jamal fired several shots from an illegal firearm into the ceiling of his Condell Park garage, in Sydney's southwest, as his wife, Georgina Vlahos, slept in her bed directly above on January 12, 2023.
She was left with no feeling below her spine and was told that she would never walk again.
El Jamal pleaded guilty in February to recklessly causing actual bodily harm and using a pistol not authorised to do so.
The 35-year-old cried in court last Friday as Judge Sean Grant sentenced him to seven years in prison, with a non-parole period of four years and three months.
However, in a lengthy letter of apology to the court, El Jamal said he was 'committed' to supporting Ms Vlahos and 'creating a safe nurturing environment' for her. Kamal El Jamal will spend at least four years behind bars. NewsWire / Max Mason-Hubers Credit: News Corp Australia Georgina Vlahos will need specialised medical care for the rest of her life. Facebook Credit: Supplied
'I want us to move forward together, not just to repair what was broken but to create a future that is full of love peace and happiness,' he said.
'I want us to make new memories, to laugh together, to experience life with mutual respect and to grow stronger as a couple.
'I want to be the man she can count on, the man who lifts her up and the man who helps her feel safe loved and cherished always.'
El Jamal's 'one mission' was to spend the rest of his life 'making amends', he added.
Ms Vlahos had previously written to the court requesting that El Jamal be her caregiver, saying she had 'forgiven' him.
She had expressed wishes for El Jamal to reside with her, as she was now in need of 'significant' day-to-day assistance due to her ongoing injuries.
Horrific details of how Ms Vlahos suffered the 'catastrophic injuries' were revealed in court documents.
It wasn't until about 30 minutes after the bullet travelled through the garage ceiling, the floorboards of the main bedroom and the mattress of the bed and hit Ms Vlahos that El Jamal called out to a neighbour for help.
The shots severed Ms Vlahos's spine and caused significant damage to her liver and spleen.
She suffered a devastating spinal cord injury and was told she would never walk again.
At the time of the shooting, El Jamal was 'significantly affected by drugs' and 'did not intend to harm his partner or anyone else', his Legal Aid barrister Ertunc Ozen told the court. CCTV footage from the day of the incident shows El Jamal driving up to the ambulance bay in a Mercedes-Benz. Credit: Supplied
'Just found her like this'
Court documents say Ms Vlahos told paramedics that she 'didn't remember anything' upon her arrival at Bankstown Hospital, and she 'could not feel her legs'.
CCTV footage from the day of the incident shows El Jamal driving up to the ambulance bay in a Mercedes-Benz before stopping and getting out of the vehicle.
He then approached paramedics and yelled 'help her, you've got to come and help her' before telling them he 'just found her like this'.
While paramedics were tending to Ms Vlahos, El Jamal fled the scene on foot.
He then went to a nearby friend's home to borrow a van that he said he needed to use to 'move some boxes'.
El Jamal then used the van to load it up with the bed sheets and pillows from the crime scene. He returned the van to his friend with the items still inside.
They were later recovered by police, and El Jamal was arrested at their home.
The reasoning for firing the shot was not known, the court was told, and the pistol was never recovered.
'It is disturbing that the firearm has not been recovered and that it remains in the community,' Judge Grant told the court last week.
El Jamal will be eligible for parole in April 2028.
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