A judge has ruled that a man facing 22 charges of domestic abuse after being discovered in a flat with his partner’s body shouldn’t be denied bail only because a murder charge might be filed against him.
Tatiana Dokhotaru, 28, was allegedly choked, abused, pursued and intimidated by Danny Zayat for two years before to her death on May 27, 2023, which was discovered in her Liverpool flat.
Zayat was apprehended on the spot after being discovered with Dokhotaru’s body, however Zayat has not been charged with murder because authorities are still looking into the circumstances surrounding her passing.
The Colyton man could face more serious allegations, Justice Helen Wilson said during a bail hearing on Thursday in the NSW Supreme Court.
Isn’t it the big problem in the room? Is he going to face murder charges?” she enquired.
The judge did specify that any bail request would only be taken into consideration in light of the alleged domestic abuse and not in light of any potential future charges.
It’s not the role of this court, she continued, to remand someone so that he can later face murder charges.
After being denied bail at Liverpool Local Court, Zayat took his case all the way to the Supreme Court.
On Thursday, his attorney Ertunc Ozen SC acknowledged that the two had a troubled and destructive relationship, but claimed that Zayat had been seen yelling “help me” as she ran through the Liverpool building’s hallway just before Dokhotaru passed away.
The barrister said, “Police saw Zayat in great distress when they arrived and he also called triple zero.”
Ozen said that Dokhotaru was dependent on the opioid medication OxyContin, and that toxicology and pathology reports were required since OxyContin addiction could have detrimental effects on the respiratory system.
This was dismissed by the crown prosecutor as a mere claim because there was no proof of intoxication or addiction.
Wilson granted bail after noting that Zayat had no criminal history and posed no threat to the general public.
His bail terms require him to live with his mother in Colyton, report to the police every day, and adhere to a nighttime curfew.
Additionally, his mother will give the court $20,000, which will be lost if Zayat doesn’t show up.
On August 8, Campbelltown Local Court will hear his case again.
