2022-01-13
Husband who tried to bludgeon sleeping wife to death loses sentence appeal
Stage: Appeal
Plea: Not guilty
Outcome: Mrs Benko, the judge continued, had been left with lifelong serious debilitating injuries as a result of the attack and would "never lead an independent life or be able to care for her own child". "A headline sentence of life imprisonment or one of 20 years would not have been inappropriate if the appellant did not present with the mitigating factors that he did," she added. A recording of the emergency call was played in court. "The problem is that probably I killed my wife and now I'm on my way to you to be jailed," he said. "Ring an ambulance.