A racist thug who stomped on and beat a heavily pregnant Muslim woman in Australia has been jailed for three years.
Stipe Lozina, 43, rained 14 blows on teacher Rana Elasmar, 32, after approaching her as she sat with two friends at a restaurant.
CCTV showed him then launching his vicious attack in front of horrified diners at Parramatta’s Bay Vista Cafe in western Sydney around 10.30pm on November 20 last year.
Sentencing Judge Craigie today said: “He… continued to strike at her with his clenched fist including drawing back for a number of blows… 14 blows.
“Eventually she fell to her knees. Ms Elasmar cowered in obvious terror as she tried to protect herself and, as she was heavily pregnant, that part of her body.
She told the court that she knew his “intentions were sinister” when she saw him appear and start sizing up the three women.She said: “As I felt every blow I became aware that he was not willing to stop.
“I remember thinking, ‘It’s OK, hit my head as long as you don’t touch my baby’.
“Islamophobia needs to end. Violence against women needs to stop.”
Lozina pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm for his attack and may be eligible for parole as early as June 3, 2022.
Ms Elasmar’s husband Azzam briefly shook his head as the judge read out his sentence.
Judge Craigie told the court that Lozina, a diagnosed schizophrenic who received a disability pension who had “obsessive opinions about people of the Muslim faith”.
When he didn’t take his medication, he became “racist and sexist”, and had a very long history of imprisonment and confinement for mental health issues.
Judge Craigie said this had not been a “worst case” which would draw the maximum term of five years in prison.
He added: “I do not find him to be a disciple of the loathsome anti-Muslim” bigotry which existed, but rather he was mentally ill.”
