“Mr Power also told the court Ali was having problems properly observing Islam behind bars and had been teased during his prayers. He had been assaulted in jail.”

Teased during prayers! The poor lamb! By all means, release him, and give him a new supply of machetes!

“Judge waits to jail Muslim refugee who tried to kill his ex-girlfriend with a machete – after concerns he won’t be able to observe Ramadan, eat halal food and may be TAUNTED while praying,” by Stephen Gibbs, Daily Mail Australia, August 29, 2017:

A judge has asked for more detail about the conditions faced by Muslim inmates in Queensland jails after hearing a refugee who tried to kill his ex-partner was having trouble observing Ramadan.

Muhumed Samow Ali appeared in the Supreme Court in Brisbane today after being convicted of trying to kill his former girlfriend with a machete at Wacol, in Brisbane’s south-west, on September 10, 2015.

He was sentenced to 10 years’ jail for attempted murder, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, assault and going armed as to cause fear.

The Somalian refugee, then 52, drove his car head-on into his 45-year-old ex-partner’s vehicle near a train station then struck her seven times in the head and back with a machete as she tried to escape. She suffered a fractured skull.

Ali’s lawyer, Ben Power, told the court his client suffers from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder due to his experiences in his native Somalia.

Mr Power also told the court Ali was having problems properly observing Islam behind bars and had been teased during his prayers. He had been assaulted in jail.

‘The situation is there are also very few Muslims in jail,’ Mr Power said, according to The Courier-Mail.

‘He has real problems with the food in the jail … Ramadan is very difficult because they don’t make allowances for fasting so he has to store up his food in order to eat it after dusk or dawn in order to observe Ramadan.’

‘He says he is often taunted during his required prayers.’

Ali, who denied trying to kill his ex-partner, also had concerns about the halal status of some prison food.

Justice Roslyn Atkinson had said she wanted more information on the conditions for Muslim prisoners before she sentenced Ali, according to the newspaper.

‘Obviously he has the right and he should have the expectation of being able to practise his religion and all that that involves without any difficulty … including any fasting requirements,’ Justice Atkinson said.

‘And I would be surprised that he is not allowed to do that.’

Justice Atkinson also said English lessons would help Ali not feel ‘so isolated’. Such lessons were not available….