Liverpool: Alleged knifeman accused of stabbing good Samaritan in a city street breaks his silence as shocking new details are revealed

A tradesman accused of stabbing a Samaritan who intervened in a domestic violence incident claims he acted in self-defense, as it turns out his partner is due to give birth soon.

Ali Telakh, 41, is alleged to have attacked his ex-partner, 39, in a parked car on Macquarie Street in Liverpool, Sydney’s west, at around 2.20am on Sunday before turning the knife on Rafi Zaki, 44, as he rushed to her aid.

Mr Zaki was taken to Liverpool Hospital in a stable condition with serious injuries, while Telakh is believed to have fled the scene. He was arrested in Rockdale on Monday after handing himself in to police.

After spending the night in custody, Telakh, dressed in a grey hoodie and with the help of an Arabic interpreter, appeared via video link at Sutherland District Court on Tuesday to apply for bail.

According to the facts presented to the court by police, the prosecution alleges that Mr Zaki heard the woman (Daily Mail Australia would not name her) and Telakh arguing and that he approached them to ask if she was okay.

Telakh is said to have told Mr Zaki: ‘Get lost, it’s none of your business’, after which the woman tried to de-escalate the situation between the men.

According to the documents, Telakh then ran to his car, followed by his ex-partner, after which another confrontation ensued between the two.

Mr Zaki, still concerned for her welfare, followed the pair down the street before Telakh allegedly pulled a knife from the car and stabbed him in the forearm and chest, causing a 2cm wound that punctured his lung, the court heard.

The Good Samaritan (in the white shirt) is pictured being helped by bystanders after he was reportedly stabbed

However, Telakh’s lawyer Gazi Abbas told the court that his client, a father of two who is expecting his third child, will argue that he acted in self-defense and that it was not his knife that was used in the alleged incident.

“Mr Telakh will plead self-defence: the knife belonged to the Good Samaritan and Mr Zaki was following the suspect and his ex-partner,” Mr Abbas said.

‘According to my instructions, CCTV would corroborate his version of events.’

Mr Abbas said Telahk moved to Australia from the Middle East in 2013, has since acquired Australian citizenship and has no previous convictions.

He said Telahk was a laborer earning $2,500 a week, but he recently had to stop working due to a hernia operation, which left him still experiencing medical complications.

Mr Abbas argued that Telakh should be released on bail because of his medical needs, his lack of a criminal record and to support his current partner financially and with the upcoming birth of their child.

“He has two children with an ex-partner and his current partner is pregnant and could give birth any day this week,” Abbas said.

Mr Abbas suggested that Telakh could be released on strict bail conditions, similar to “house arrest”, and that a $3,000 surety could be set for his release.

The court heard that Telakh moved to Australia in 2013 and worked in construction as a construction worker

Security footage shows Telakh with his ex-partner in Macquarie Street around the time of the alleged attack

Police tape was still stretched across the sidewalk on Macquarie Street on Monday

However, the Public Prosecution Service strongly opposed bail. According to the Public Prosecution Service, Telahk was accused of a serious offence and the case against him was ‘strong’ as it was supported by CCTV evidence and two independent witnesses.

The prosecutor told the court there were concerns Telakh would fail to appear in court, obstruct witnesses or pose a “significant risk to the community” due to the nature of the charges.

‘The [alleged] “The attack was aimed at a member of the community who was trying to help, a Good Samaritan,” the prosecutor told the court.

The prosecutor also stressed that Telakh, who has been charged with simple assault, domestic violence, affray and wounding a person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, could face up to 25 years in prison if found guilty.

Magistrate Jillian Kiely noted that Telakh had a limited criminal record, had ties to the community and had been in paid employment since migrating to Australia.

However, she refused to grant bail, arguing that Telakh’s release posed too great a risk to the safety of the community given the charges against him.

When the verdict was announced, Telakh gasped and dropped his face into his hands.

He is due to appear in Campbelltown District Court on November 6.