And then, speaking of where you’d prefer to live, there’s life with Ismail Belghar of somewhere in New South Wales.
Belghar, who has been married to his wife for 11 years, became aware she had been to the beach in late 2009 because her shoulders were slightly sunburned.
He rang his sister-in-law and said: “You slut, how dare you take my wife to the beach.”
Just before Christmas, 2009, Ms Kokden came face to face with Belghar while out shopping with her brother at the Broadway Shopping Centre.
Belghar slapped her across the face then carried her to the railing around the car park where he held her out over it.
She was freed when her brother tackled Belghar.
Family life, eh?
The court heard, because of his religious beliefs and because he thought he had absolute authority over her, Belghar felt it “abhorrent” that his wife, Hanife Kokden, had been to the beach where she “displayed her body”.
In March, Judge Ronald Solomon had granted Belghar a trial before a judge sitting alone after agreeing he may not receive a fair trial with a jury.
“The attitude of (Belghar) … is based on a religious or cultural basis. In light of the fact there has been adverse publicity regarding people who hold extreme Muslim faith beliefs in the community, I am of the view that the apprehension by (Belghar) that he may not receive a fair trial is a reasonable apprehension,” Judge Solomon said.
Nicely circular, innit. Belghar has disgusting religious beliefs, along with an opinion that he has absolute authority over his wife. He might not get a fair trial because a jury might dislike his disgusting religious and spousal beliefs. Therefore he can get a judge all to himself.
So the more disgusting your beliefs (and their resulting actions) are, the more special treatment you should get? Is that the logic?
An appeals court overruled the judge, so if that is the logic I guess the court didn’t accept it.