Murderer appeals verdict for brutal AirPods murder

A man who kicked and stomped another man to death over a pair of fake Apple earbuds had no intention of killing the victim, his lawyer says.

Ross Houllis died in hospital from catastrophic brain and lung injuries after being brutally beaten by Abdul Karaali and Sami Hamdach in February 2020.

Karaali was sentenced to 28 years in prison, suspended for 21 years, after a jury in the Supreme Court of New South Wales found him guilty of murder.

Barrister John Stratton SC, representing Karaali, said at an appeal hearing on Friday that Judge Stephen Campbell, who presided over the original case, did not have the authority to find that either Karaali or Hamdach intended to kill Houllis.

“Neither of them was armed, neither of them tried to cover their faces,” he said. Karaali is also appealing the sentence, which Stratton says is clearly excessive, especially compared to his accomplice.

Hamdach pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 16 years and two months in prison, with a suspended period of just over 12 years.

“There is a very big difference between the two sentences imposed on the two accomplices,” he said.

Stratton argued that it was clear in the prosecution's case that Hamdach was the instigator and director of the incidents.

Hamdach had purchased the pair of alleged Apple AirPods from Houllis the day before the attack, but believed they were not original.

His partner arranged a meeting with Houllis and sold him another pair, after which the 28-year-old was attacked by Hamdach and Karaali.

Stratton told the court it was accepted that Karaali kicked and stamped on Houllis and the brutal attack was captured on CCTV cameras, but he said he did so on Hamdach's instructions.

“The prosecution actually took the view that the accomplice Hamdach was the one who had organised (Karaali) there and that it was … his anger because he believed he had been supplied with a fake pair of iPods (sic).”

Prosecutor Elizabeth Nicholson argued that Karalli's intent to kill Houllis became clear during the course of the murder.

This included alternately stomping on the victim's head after he had lain motionless for several minutes.

“If the complainant's aim was to inflict serious bodily harm, then that aim was certainly achieved,” she said.

“It can only be, on the respectful submission of the Crown, that these final, significant blows to the head of a person lying face down and not moving, were made with intent to kill.”

The decision on appeal is reserved.