Aust: Perth woman acquitted of murdering former partner

A 28 year-old woman subjected to years of domestic violence has been acquitted of murdering her former partner.

Magdalena Dziuba, 28, spent 18 months in custody awaiting trial for wilfully murdering 38 year-old Rhett Greenhill.

He was fatally stabbed during a struggle at their home in the southern Perth suburb of Coogee in November 2005.

A Supreme court jury acquitted Ms Dziuba after accepting she was acting in self defence.

She said she feared for her life and believed she was only moments away from death when the stabbing happened.

Outside the court she said she was too scared to seek a restraining order against Mr Greenhill.

"I knew that wouldn't stop him. He would just come back and get more angry, so I was too afraid," she said.

Ms Dziuba says she hopes her life can now return to normal.

Ms Dziuba's lawyer, Jeremy Scudds says the verdict brings his client's nightmare to an end.

"It's a terrible case where it shows the plight of women who are subjected to domestic violence and it's just regrettable she found herself in a position where she had to defend herself," he said.