Last month, John Herron should have been celebrating his precious daughter Courtney’s 27th birthday with her.
Instead, the father-of-three watched helplessly as the man who confessed to brutally bludgeoning his eldest child to death was cleared of murder.
Henry Hammond, 28, was homeless when he killed aspiring social worker Courtney with a tree branch, before hiding her body in Melbourne’s Royal Park very early on May 25, 2019.
Courtney’s injuries were so severe, the mortician struggled to put her broken body back together before she was buried – leaving her family unable to see her to say their final farewells.
But last month, Hammond was found not guilty of murder because of mental impairment, with the court ruling he was in the grips of a schizophrenic relapse. He was ordered to spend 25 years in a psychiatric hospital.
John, 60, a powerful advocate against gender-based violence, says he fears Hammond, who is originally from Sydney but was living nomadically in Victoria, will apply for a review and be granted release within five years – free to kill again.
Denne historien er fra April 26, 2021-utgaven av New Idea.
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Denne historien er fra April 26, 2021-utgaven av New Idea.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
CLOWNING AROUND!
THE GAGLIARDIES PUT THE FUN IN FAMILY
FIGHTS FOR HER JOB!
HER NEW ROLE RUFFLED SOME FEATHERS
'WE'RE ONE AND DONE'
THE WILDLIFE WARRIOR SHARES SOME FAMILY NEWS
CURSE OF DREAMWORLD strikes AGAIN
THE GOLD COAST PARK IS FACING ANOTHER SCANDAL
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SIX RELATIONSHIP RED FLAGS TO BE WARY OF, ACCORDING TO LAWYER CAROLYN DEVRIES
'MUM SAVED THE DAY!'
THEY PAIR ARE SET TO HAVE AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE!
WE THOUGHT WE'D LOSE HIM'
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Getting so ber made me a better man'
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Prince Christian's ON ROYAL DUTY!
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3 great ways with DOUGHNUTS
CREATIVE TAKES ON THIS ICONIC SWEET TREAT