Disclaimer: This article contains discussions of sexual assault, which may be distressing to some readers. Reader discretion is advised. If you or someone you know needs support, please reach out to a trusted resource or support service.

In the heart of Sydney, nestled within the bustling Condell Park shopping centre, a shoe repair shop operated by a seemingly 'beloved' craftsman stood as a local fixture for decades. But behind the unassuming façade of this small business, a dark and sickening truth was lurking, one that has only recently come to light, leaving the community reeling in horror.

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For years, customers frequented the shop, entrusting their worn soles and tattered heels to the skilled hands of the shop owner, Michael Zaidan. Little did they know, the 76-year-old man was harbouring a sinister secret. In a shocking turn of events, it was revealed that Zaidan had locked a 12-year-old girl in a toilet paper storeroom and subjected her to a series of sexual assaults while her mother was preoccupied with her weekly grocery shopping.

The harrowing ordeal unfolded over nine months between 1998 and 1999, with Zaidan taking advantage of the girl's innocence and vulnerability. The jury found him guilty of six counts of indecently assaulting a child under 16 in November, and he now faces a maximum of eight years in prison.

Sydney shoe repairer Michael Zaidan was found guilty of sexually assaulting a girl in the late 1990s. Credit: Facebook

The victim, who bravely came forward in 2018 and is now 40 years old, shared her traumatic experience in a victim impact statement. She revealed that the abuse had left her with deep psychological scars, including an inability to tolerate the smell of shoe polish—a reminder of the assaults that took place behind the workbench of Zaidan's shop.

'It means I throw out my son's school shoes and buy new ones,' she disclosed, highlighting the profound impact the abuse has had on her everyday life.

Court documents painted a chilling picture of how Zaidan would lure the girl with the pretence of helping her mother, only to betray their trust in the most heinous way. He would assault her in her school uniform and expose her to pornography, which he disturbingly concealed behind photos of Princess Diana in the store.

The woman's statement poignantly expressed the lasting effects of the abuse, including a lifelong fear of men, particularly Lebanese men, and the struggle to visit the local shops where the crimes occurred. She recounted the cruel words hurled at her by one of Zaidan's family members, calling her a 'f**king filthy lying b***h,' further compounding her trauma.

In a heart-wrenching confession, she admitted to contemplating suicide, feeling that her family might be better off without her. Yet, she stands resilient, refusing to carry the shame any longer. 'But I'm still here, and I'm not carrying that shame any longer – you can carry it now,' she wrote, addressing Zaidan directly.

The community's ignorance of Zaidan's true nature was evident in a Facebook post mourning the closure of his shop, attributing it to health concerns and praising him as a 'wonderful gentleman.' The victim's frustration is palpable as she grapples with the false narrative surrounding the man who caused her so much pain.

Zaidan's final assault, leading the girl to a storeroom under the guise of restocking toilet paper before sexually assaulting her, is a stark reminder of the vulnerability of children and the importance of vigilance in our communities.

As Zaidan awaits his next court appearance on April 24, the case serves as a sobering reminder that monsters can hide in plain sight, masquerading as trusted members of society. It's a wake-up call for all of us to be more aware and protective of the young and innocent among us.

For those affected by similar experiences, know that you are not alone, and support is available. If you or someone you know needs help, please reach out to the national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) for confidential information, counselling, and support services.

Key Takeaways

• A well-regarded Sydney shoe repairer, Michael Zaidan, has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a young girl in the late 1990s.
• The victim, now 40 years old, disclosed the abuse in 2018 and has faced lifelong trauma, fearing men, particularly of Lebanese descent, due to the offender's background.
• The sexual assaults took place at the Condell Park shopping centre, where Zaidan took advantage of the trust of the girl's mother during her weekly shopping trips.
• Zaidan is now facing a maximum of eight years in prison and will be sentenced in the coming weeks, with his next court appearance scheduled for April 24.

The story of the Condell Park shoe repair shop is a tragic one, but it's also a story of survival and courage. It's a stark reminder that while we may not be able to change the past, we can fight for justice and a better future.

 

[Wombat2u2004]

He's Lebanese.
I'm not surprised

 

[elaine41]

Some of the details do not add up.

1. She was 12 in 1998-1999. So she would now be 35-36 years old, not the stated 40 years old.
2. She now fears men yet she got into a relationship (unknown if it was marriage or not from article) & went on to obviously have sexual relations in order to have a son. That does not appear to show any real fear of men.
3. Then you confirm my suspicions in the sentence "The victim's frustration is palpable as she grapples with the FALSE narrative surrounding the man who caused her so much pain."

Why are you, then, giving her more space to carry on her falsehood & traumatise this man & his family further?

 

[Mrtnst]

2025-1998 = 27, plus 12 makes 39, close enough to 40 on it's own.
But if she just had a her birthday, and she was assaulted just before her 13th birthday in '98, she is 40.

Unless you have a psychiatric degree, I don't think you're qualified to judge what constitutes a fear of men. In addition there's adoption or IVF available to people who want children.

The false narrative she is referring to is clearly, when taken in context of the paragraph, the Facebook post about him being a 'wonderful gentleman' and saying that he retired 'due to health concerns' not because he's been convicted, on 6 counts, as a child molester.

Clearly the jury didn't find her story false.
News report of his conviction

 

[Veggiepatch]

He's Lebanese.
I'm not surprised

I have seen these slimes in action outside a wedding reception at Bankstown in the late 1980s. Six Lebanese dogs attacked a mate's girlfriend, stripping her down to her underpants, while sexually assaulting her. Little did they know the were a few of us walking down the stairs of the Bankstown RSL Club about 30 seconds later.

Mayhem broke out when the pool hall across the road spilled out with tens of Lebbo scum brandishing pool cues. They were met by more of us and Kitchener Parade turned into a suburban battleground with blood everywhere. Just Lebbo blood.

And how can forget that weasel Bilal Skaf and his peahearts.

Lowest of the low.

 

[Bridgit]

Some of the details do not add up.

1. She was 12 in 1998-1999. So she would now be 35-36 years old, not the stated 40 years old.
2. She now fears men yet she got into a relationship (unknown if it was marriage or not from article) & went on to obviously have sexual relations in order to have a son. That does not appear to show any real fear of men.
3. Then you confirm my suspicions in the sentence "The victim's frustration is palpable as she grapples with the FALSE narrative surrounding the man who caused her so much pain."

Why are you, then, giving her more space to carry on her falsehood & traumatise this man & his family further?

Bottom line - you know nothing - sitting in judgement might make you feel good and holy - but it leaves the rest of us sick to our stomachs that you as a woman can be so vile!

 

[DLHM]

I have seen these slimes in action outside a wedding reception at Bankstown in the late 1980s. Six Lebanese dogs attacked a mate's girlfriend, stripping her down to her underpants, while sexually assaulting her. Little did they know the were a few of us walking down the stairs of the Bankstown RSL Club about 30 seconds later.

Mayhem broke out when the pool hall across the road spilled out with tens of Lebbo scum brandishing pool cues. They were met by more of us and Kitchener Parade turned into a suburban battleground with blood everywhere. Just Lebbo blood.

And how can forget that weasel Bilal Skaf and his peahearts.

Lowest of the low.

 

[Veggiepatch]

Some of the details do not add up.

1. She was 12 in 1998-1999. So she would now be 35-36 years old, not the stated 40 years old.
2. She now fears men yet she got into a relationship (unknown if it was marriage or not from article) & went on to obviously have sexual relations in order to have a son. That does not appear to show any real fear of men.
3. Then you confirm my suspicions in the sentence "The victim's frustration is palpable as she grapples with the FALSE narrative surrounding the man who caused her so much pain."

Why are you, then, giving her more space to carry on her falsehood & traumatise this man & his family further?

Do you condone the actions of this abhorrent slime ball?

I hope he gets traumatised in jail. He doesn't deserve the "protection" of the "Boneyard".

Nor his family.

 

[Charlotte59]

Some of the details do not add up.

1. She was 12 in 1998-1999. So she would now be 35-36 years old, not the stated 40 years old.
2. She now fears men yet she got into a relationship (unknown if it was marriage or not from article) & went on to obviously have sexual relations in order to have a son. That does not appear to show any real fear of men.
3. Then you confirm my suspicions in the sentence "The victim's frustration is palpable as she grapples with the FALSE narrative surrounding the man who caused her so much pain."

Why are you, then, giving her more space to carry on her falsehood & traumatise this man & his family further?

How dare you make this accusation against an innocent victim of such a disgusting act by a person that was trusted. I am a survivor of having been sexually abused by my father and maternal grandfather for most of my childhood (age2 to 17), yet i have been strong enough to continue with my life, get married, have children and, even though those marriages were short lived, i have been able to have a "normal" sexual relationship, albeit, on my terms, which is how many sexual assault survivors get by. What you may not also know is that many of these victims end up in he sex trade industry, on drugs and alcohol just to get from one day to the next, some also go so far as to take their own lives, (because of low self esteem and worth) I say kudos to this person that she didn't let her abuser win. Age doesn't add up you say, well did you consider that perhaps it was a typing error, but it don't matter does it in your eyes, you obviously, like my mother, love and support paedophiles and their dirty filthy acts on innocent children

 

[Wombat2u2004]

I have seen these slimes in action outside a wedding reception at Bankstown in the late 1980s. Six Lebanese dogs attacked a mate's girlfriend, stripping her down to her underpants, while sexually assaulting her. Little did they know the were a few of us walking down the stairs of the Bankstown RSL Club about 30 seconds later.

Mayhem broke out when the pool hall across the road spilled out with tens of Lebbo scum brandishing pool cues. They were met by more of us and Kitchener Parade turned into a suburban battleground with blood everywhere. Just Lebbo blood.

And how can forget that weasel Bilal Skaf and his peahearts.

Lowest of the low.

They're born scumbuckets mate.
I used to live next door to a lebo family, they owned a takeaway shop in Leichhardt.
Filthiest people I have ever known, you should have seen their stove in the kitchen, covered in grease and spilled food.

 

[novezar]

3 steps for the judiciary to take.
Lock him up.
Feed him bread & water.
Throw the key away.
Then by some miraculous trait, he "CROAKS".