The murderer Daniel Holdom tries to withdraw his plea of ​​guilty before being imprisoned for life

Update

November 30, 2018 12:49:09

A man who murdered his ex-girlfriend and daughter surprised a Sydney court by attempting a last-minute guilty plea before a judge jailed him for life.

In July, Daniel Holdom pleaded guilty to the murder of Karlie Pearce-Stevenson, 20, and his two-year-old daughter Khandalyce.

Ms. Pearce-Stevenson's body was found at Belanglo State Forrest, near Sydney, in 2010, and the toddler's remains were found in a suitcase on a remote road in southern Australia in 2015.

Holdom's lawyer today made a surprise request to the NSW Supreme Court to revoke his guilty plea for the murder of Khandalyce, claiming that his client was having trouble "digesting" the file.

But in dismissing the application, Judge Robert Hulme noted that Holdom had an experienced legal team and was not convinced that the 44-year-old did not understand what he was pleading.

The public gallery applauded when the sentence was pronounced.

Judge Hulme stated that there was evidence that Holdom had used extreme force against Ms. Pearce-Stevenson, stomped on her body, raped her "in a harsh and sadistic manner" and took Trophy photos.

"His treatment of him showed total disregard for his existence as a human being," he said.

"For him, she was just flesh with a life that could be extinguished for her sheer pleasure."

Justice Hulme stated that Holdom had a history of violence against women and had shown no remorse.

Judge Hulme described the murder of Ms. Pearce-Stevenson as a crime "of extreme gravity and appalling depravity".

Holdom shook his head in the dock during the judge's remarks.

"His brutality will haunt us"

Judge Hulme stated that Holdom had used Ms. Pearce-Stevenson's bank account after her death and that her new girlfriend had claimed the deceased's social security benefits.

Holdom also used her ex-girlfriend's phone to send SMS to her family, thus giving the impression that she was alive and feeding the torments and desperation of her loved ones to not knowing where she was. found.

Judge Hulme stated that Holdom had a difficult childhood with a brutal father-in-law who had violently badaulted him from four to fifteen years.

He added that Holdom had been unemployed for some time and had a problem with drug use at the time of the killings.

The court heard that he had a criminal record in NSW, Queensland and the Northern Territory.

Mrs. Pearce-Stevenson's family issued a statement describing Holdom's crimes as "despicable".

"His brutality will haunt us forever," they said.

"Nothing will be done to him that will bring Karlie and Khandalyce or refund us the toll.

"That said, he lost his right to his existence.

"From now until her death, young women and children must be protected – their safety must be paramount.

"We can not hold Karlie and Khandalyce in our arms, but we will never stop loving them."

Outside the courtroom, Scott Cook, commander of the NSW Homicide Squad, said the families of the two victims of Holdom had suffered tremendously.

"They have always conducted themselves with dignity and helped the police," he said.

"I hope that today will bring a conclusion to the trauma that they have suffered."

Topics:

law-crime-and-justice

courts and trials,

criminality,

murder and manslaughter,

berrima-2577,

nsw,

her

First posted

November 30, 2018 12:07:48