THE man who has admitted to the shooting manslaughter of a "very, very close friend" on the Liverpool Plains will have his sentence handed down in a Sydney court.
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Solicitors for Adnan Al Youssef have successfully had his sentencing hearing moved to Sydney, where he lives, as he struggles with the emotional and financial toll of the Boxing Day tragedy.
Youssef was due to front an arraignment in Tamworth this week to formally enter a guilty plea to the manslaughter of his friend, 23-year-old Ali Wannous, at Bundella, near Quirindi, but the case was re-listed.
Youssef's solicitor, Mickaela Mate, appeared in Tamworth District Court on Monday morning after lodging an application to have the case moved.
"The matter involves a death of a very, very close friend," she said, via video link from a Sydney courtroom.
"[He's] suffering some significant psychological problems that arise out of the death of his friend."
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The court heard Youssef, who has already been committed from the local court for sentence, was ready to enter a plea.
"My client is based in Sydney," Ms Mate said.
"The incident occurred while Mr Youssef was on holiday.
"[He's] not a man of great financial capacity.
"He would find it difficult to have his counsel travel to Tamworth."
The DPP did not oppose the application and said the move "presents no significant difficulty" to the victim's family.
"That's a very important consideration," Judge Jeffery McLennan replied.
Youssef will have to formally enter a plea at an arraignment that has been fixed for later this month in Sydney's Downing Centre District Court, "for reasons of expedience", Judge McLennan said.
"Mr Youssef's bail is to continue," he said.
In June, Youssef pleaded guilty in Tamworth Local Court to one count of manslaughter after the shooting on the night of December 26 at Coomoo Coomoo Creek Road at Bundella.
At the time, his barrister said there was a "small amendment" needed on the agreed facts to "include something from a walkthrough video of the scene".
It's the police case that Youssef caused the death of Mr Wannous, 23, by discharging a firearm without regard to public safety, amounting to manslaughter.
Detectives claim Youssef fired a registered firearm in an apparent accident, while cleaning the gun, on Boxing Day night.
Mr Wannous, who is also from Sydney's south-west area, died at the scene.
It's understood the pair were part of a group of eight who were visiting the property at Coomoo Coomoo Creek Road on a pre-arranged hunting trip.
Breanna Chillingworth
Northern Daily Leader Senior Crime and Court Reporter
Northern Daily Leader Senior Crime and Court Reporter
