Updated 1.56pm
THE WIFE OF an Irishman murdered last year in Australia has spoken of the effect his death has had on her, and her anger at the sentence her husband’s killer received.
Gavin Perry was sentenced this morning to a total of 27 years in prison – 20 for fatally stabbing 64-year-old Dermot O’Toole, two for stabbing his wife Bridget, and another five years for two unrelated armed robberies – but could be released after 23.
The attack occurred during a botched robbery of the couple’s Victoria jewellery shop in July 2013.
The Age reports that Perry was on parole and high on meth at the time of the attack.
He had 200 previous convictions.
Speaking this afternoon to RTÉ’s News at One, Bridget O’Toole said she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after the attack, and that her life has been “horrendous”.
“I don’t even get into my bed at night, I sleep in a chair,” she said.
When I get home to I just pull a blanket over me in the chair, because I think if anyone breaks in, it would be easier to escape.
She recalled the day the attack took place, and how Perry had entered the shop earlier on in the day to scope it out with his girlfriend and young child, but did not appear suspicious.
Perry returned later and entered the shop screaming. He first stabbed Bridget, and threw her into a glass cabinet as a scuffle broke out when Dermot intervened. Perry then stabbed Dermot twice.
Dermot died of blood loss in front of me. He stood up for an instance, I thought he was alright, and he just looked at me. His last words to me were ‘call an ambulance, I’ve been stabbed’.I turned to grab the phone, and when I turned around, and he was gone.
Bridget believes that Perry’s sentence was too lenient, calling him a “danger of society” with no chance of rehabilitation.
This was something recognised by the judge during his sentencing, ABC reports.
“My concern is that he will be only 50 years of age when he comes out of prison… I don’t want another family to go through what we’ve been put through,” Bridget said.
Perry had previously committed armed robberies while out on bail, but was still granted parole after he served a previous sentence.
The O’Toole family will now be seeking reform of the parole system.
Originally published 10.23am
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