Breaking News
Sin behind bars
Wednesday 2 July, 2008 10:00am
THE man who stabbed and killed Samir Chouman at Liverpool's Macquarie Mall will spend the next 10 years behind bars.
Sophorn Sin's 10-year sentence ends a saga that started with a brawl between Lebanese and Asian gangs in August 2005.
It ended with a hearing in the Supreme Court.
Along the way Sin (pictured) had a murder charge dropped, relaid and then withdrawn after he negotiated a plea of guilty to manslaughter.
The judge, who was due to sentence Sin earlier this year, questioned why the murder charge was not pressed, which forced another delay the Chief Judge at Common Law sentenced Sin on June 20.
What hasn't changed is the fact that Samir Chouman, 18, of Busby, died from multiple stab wounds following the second of two brawls at the mall.
Sin, 23, of Bonnyrigg, was responsible for either two or three of the wounds.
It's not clear why the Asian and Lebanese gangs clashed near the Westfield shopping centre and then at Macquarie Mall.
Justice Peter McClellan noted: ``Physical fights between gangs of young people are disturbing events ... When they occur, as here in a shopping centre, they are frightening events for passersby.''
Chouman tried to flee the brawl, but was stabbed by Sin while he ran.
Chouman sought refuge in a shop nearby and was helped by the shop's staff and security guards before he was taken to hospital, where he later died.
Sin will serve at least seven years behind bars and will be eligible for parole in March 2014.
His total sentence is 10 years' imprisonment.
