NSW Man jailed for murder of stepson

[Tom]

A man has been jailed for at least 20 years for the "appalling and baffling" murder of his 11-year-old stepson and the knifing of the boy's mother.In the NSW Supreme Court, Justice Peter Hidden accepted that the 24-year-old man, who had no history of violence, could not explain his behaviour and had no memory of it.

 

"His depression, his intoxication and his withdrawal from cannabis provide some explanation for the level of his violence, but what triggered it remains a mystery," he said.

 

"The case is both appalling and baffling."

 

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to murdering the boy and to causing grievous bodily harm to his partner, with intent to murder her, on July 9, 2006, at their home on the NSW south coast.

 

The judge said the couple's four-year relationship appeared to have been a good one, and so had his relationship with his stepson.

 

On the night of the attacks, his partner had woken up to see him entering their bedroom holding a knife.

 

"He stabbed her face, the point of the knife penetrating her cheek and entering her mouth, and also piercing her tongue," the judge said.

 

In a "really calm" voice, he kept saying: "It's time to die, just give up. It's time to go".

 

It was not until later at hospital that she discovered what had happened to her son, who had been stabbed in the neck.

 

"It is most likely ... that he was asleep when he was attacked and never regained consciousness," the judge said.

 

Police found the word "Satan" written in blood on the wall above the woman's bed and when they located the man at a shopping centre he identified himself as "Pimp Deano".

 

He said: "You're not going to believe it. You think I'm bad, wait till you see them ... I've just been stabbed in the head but I fixed those f...ers".

 

The judge said victim impact statements by the boy's mother and grandparents eloquently expressed their "outrage and grief" at the senseless and untimely death.

 

"Their pain is exacerbated by the fact that they remain at a loss to understand why the offender acted as he did," he said.

 

The mother has lasting physical and psychological damage, including permanent scarring to her face.

 

Notwithstanding his lack of any relevant memory, the judge said the man had accepted responsibility for his crimes and was clearly "deeply remorseful".

 

In letters to the boy's mother, he referred to the hate he had for himself and "flagellated himself for his behaviour sometimes in lurid terms".

 

The judge noted that when the victim impact statements had been read in court, the man had wept and been obviously distressed, and when he had given evidence he had "presented as a shattered man".

 

The man had told the court: "There is no time in jail that could make up for what I've done. I accept punishment. That's what I deserve".

 

When interviewed by a psychiatrist, the man denied any satanic interest, saying he was not religious.

 

"He had tattoos on his body of a religious nature, some of which apparently had a satanic theme, but he said that they had no particular significance to him," the judge said.

 

He had a longstanding pattern of marijuana and alcohol abuse, including many amnesic episodes or "blackouts".

 

The judge set a maximum term of 25 years.

 

The earliest date he can be released on parole is July 8, 2026.

 

Author: AAP

Date: November 9, 2007

Source: AAP

Copyright: © 2007 AAP

[WantDaChronic]

i have depression and have more bong smoke leaving my lungs than what a chimneys spews out during winter, but you wont see me going around killing people when i run out

 

imo the guy has mental issues and im glad they included that little bit of info at the end that says he was also addicted to alcohol and had many blackouts. it shows that his drinking is probably to blame and smoking marijuana while drinking would only make his mental issues worse than they already are

 

imo since it said he was going through marijuana withdrawals he was having an alcohol induced phycotic episode which to me should have nothing to do with marijuana unless the marijuana was used to stop him from going bonkers in the first place. if thats the case, he should be kept away from the piss and stick to the herb because this wouldnt have happened if he didnt mix his drugs