11 Jun 09
Fairfield Advance
THEY didn’t want revenge, only justice for their son who was stabbed to death at Mt Pritchard over an argument about a barking dog.
But former Liverpool mayor Joseph Durrant and his wife Jackie feel the just hand of the law has alluded their son Joseph `Joey’ Durrant, 47, after the sentencing of his killers in the NSW Supreme Court yesterday.
Katrina Megan Whitmore, 26, was sentenced to at least 10 years in jail for the murder of Mr Durrant.
Her brother, Frederick Reyon Whitmore, 35, was sentenced to four years after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
Mr Durrant, who stood up in disbelief when the sentences were handed down, said the punishments did not fit the crime.
"I am very disappointed with the judicial system and angry with the judge,’’ he told the Leader.
"The sentences were too light.
"They took 20 to 40 years of my son’s life who will never see his children or grandchildren again."
Mr Durrant was stabbed in the back after an argument over Ms Whitmore’s barking dog in Mt Pritchard in 2007.
In April a jury found Ms Whitmore guilty of Mr Durrant’s murder.
Ms Whitmore’s defacto Steven Spiro Sotiropoulos, 34, was acquitted of murder and manslaughter charges.
In sentencing Katrina Whitmore, Justice Michael Adams described her actions as "an impulsive act of fury"’ but said he was not satisfied she was the one who stabbed Mr Durrant with the fatal blow.
"I do not accept she had a knife,’’ he said.
"I do not accept she inflicted the lethal wound.
"Her involvement was with any reflection a spontaneous act of rage.’’
Mr Whitmore admitted to having a knife at the time of the argument but denies delivering the lethal blow.
Justice Adams said despite the sibling’s previous assault convictions they had a good chance for rehabilitation.
But the victim’s mother described the sentencing as a "complete farce’’.
"She (Katrina) will be out by the time she’s 37 and have her whole life ahead of her.
"She will get to see her family while we go to Joey’s grave site every week.’’
Katrina Megan Whitmore killed neighbour Joseph Durrant over barking dog
April 01, 2009
news.com.au
A WOMAN has been found guilty of fatally stabbing a man after he complained about her barking dog.On his way home from alcohol-fuelled Australia Day celebrations with a friend in 2007, Joseph Durrant, 47, argued with his neighbour about her dog.
The dog's owner, Katrina Megan Whitmore, 26, threatened Mr Durrant before physically attacking him over his comments.
Whitmore's co-accused Steven Spiro Sotiropoulos, 34, joined in the fracas at Mt Pritchard, in southwestern Sydney, and Mr Durrant was fatally stabbed.
The jury at their New South Wales Supreme Court murder trial began deliberations on Monday morning and today found Whitmore guilty of murder.
Mr Sotiropoulos was found not guilty of the same charge.
Parents waiting for justice
Liverpool Leader
01 Apr 09
FORMER Liverpool Mayor Joe Durrant and his wife Jackie hope a jury will reach a verdict today in the trial of two people accused of murdering their son.Joseph “Joey” Durrant, 47, was stabbed to death at Mt Pritchard after an argument over a barking dog on January 27, 2007.
Katrina Megan Whitmore, 26, and her de facto, Steven Spiro Sotiropoulos, 34, of Sadleir, have pleaded not guilty to the murder.
The jury hearing the case went into its second full day of deliberations yesterday and is expected to continue deliberations this morning.
Yesterday Mr Durrant, of Warwick Farm, said the death of his “lovable larrikin” son - and now the gruelling three-week trial - had taken its toll on his family.
“Joey is not here to speak up for himself and tell us what happened,” Mr Durrant said.
“But someone killed him and we just want justice for our son ... Joey deserves that.”
During the joint trial at the NSW Supreme Court, the jury heard how Mr Durrant suffered several stab wounds during a brawl involving several people, including the accused, and Katrina’s brother Frederick Reyon Whitmore.
But it was an attack to the back which killed Mr Durrant.
Crown prosecutor Chris Maxwell QC alleges Ms Whitmore delivered the fatal blow.
Mr Durrant and his housemate Guy Marrett were walking to their Phyllis St home about 1am after Australia Day celebrations.
The jury heard Mr Durrant and Mr Marrett shouted ``shut up’’ at a barking dog.
Ms Whitmore confronted the two men over the way they spoke to her dog and they were followed by Mr Sotiropoulos and her brother before a fight erupted.
Witnesses told the court they heard a female threaten: ``I’ll stab you in the eye.’’
But the accused couple denied they had a knife at the time of the fight, and claim it was Frederick Whitmore who stabbed and killed Mr Durrant.
The evidence of key witness Adam Duncan, who was also involved in the struggle, has played a vital part in the trial.
Mr Duncan told police he heard Ms Whitmore say: ``I’ll stab you in the neck personally’’ and saw her stab Mr Durrant.
But Mr Duncan’s friends have given different accounts of what they witnessed.
Mr Duncan admitted he’d taken the drug ice and was drunk on the night in question and now had trouble recounting the events.
Defence lawyers Ray Hood and Mark Dennis claimed Mr Duncan was not a credible witness and the prosecution’s case was riddled with conflicting evidence.
At the time the Leader went to print the jury were continuing their deliberations.
Son's murder 'changed family's status'
The Age
May 22, 2009
A former suburban Sydney mayor says his son's murder, sparked by an argument over a barking dog, left him heartbroken and changed his family's status in the community.
The NSW Supreme Court heard sentencing submissions on Friday for Frederick Reyon Whitmore, 35, who has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Joseph Durrant, 47, in the early hours of January 27, 2007.
Mr Durrant was on his way home from alcohol-fuelled Australia Day celebrations in 2007 when he complained about a noisy dog in Phyllis Street in the southwestern Sydney suburb of Mt Pritchard.
He was fatally attacked with a knife...
Mr Durrant's father, Joseph Durrant Snr - a former Liverpool Lord Mayor - read victim impact statements for himself and his wife Jacki Durrant, including that his son "Joey" was a dog lover.
"I'm angry that the aggressive, senseless actions of these offenders took the life of a light-hearted larrikin," Mr Durrant read on his wife's behalf.
"He would have always turned around and had a beer with them rather than had a fight.
"I want them to realise the preciousness of what they have stolen from (us)."
The court also received statements from one of Mr Durrant's three daughters Jessica, 19, and his brother Michael Durrant.
"There is now a stigma attached to us ... when someone in your family is murdered it is assumed you are bad people," Mr Durrant told the court.
He went on to say that as a religious family, "we don't want revenge, all we want is justice".
No comments:
Post a Comment