CONFESSED child killer Dante Wyndham Arthurs has been sentenced to life in jail and will serve a minimum of 13 years before being eligible for parole.
In sentencing this afternoon, Justice John McKechnie told the WA Supreme Court that the murder of Sofia Rodriguez-Urrutia Shu was one of the “most grave crimes” and its effects “radiated out like a wave”.
Justice McKechnie sentenced Arthurs to life imprisonment, with a minimum of 13 years, for the murder charge, and to two years’ imprisonment for a deprivation of liberty charge – to be served concurrently.
“There are some crimes that are so evil they shock the public conscience,” Justice McKechnie said.
“You should clearly understand that when you are sentenced to life imprisonment you may never be released.”
Sofia’s naked body was found by her 14-year-old brother on the floor of a toilet cubicle at Livingston Marketplace Shopping Centre in Canning Vale on June 26, 2006.
Justice McKechnie said the crime had instilled fear in all parents.
“There are few domestic scenes more commonplace than the need of children to go to the toilet when shopping,” he said.
Justice McKechnie said the offence against Sofia was “eerily similar” to another in 2003, also against an 8-year-old girl, in which Arthurs was charged with indecently dealing. The charges were dropped.
“You have a dangerous sexual motivation towards young girls that manifests itself in violence,” he said.
Arthurs, 23, sat expressionless in the dock during sentencing, his head bowed as he awkardly rubbed his hands together, his breathing laboured.
From time to time he closed his eyes and drew deep breaths.
Justice McKechnie quoted from a victim impact statement from Sofia’s father, Gabriel Snr.
“We miss her every single day,” he read.
“We will miss her when her friends graduate, find boyfriends, marry and have children.”
Arthurs, 23, of Canning Vale, pleaded guilty to murder and deprivation of liberty, after charges of wilful murder and sexual penetration of a child were withdrawn at a Supreme Court hearing in September.
A pathologist found that Sofia had died from strangulation. She also had scratches to skin around her neck, fractures to both upper arms, both shins and legs and bruising to her back, knees and shins. There was also bruising and lacerations to her genital area.
In sentencing submissions, prosecutor Sam Vandongen told the court fingerprint examinations of the basin uncovered a palm print of Arthurs’ right hand.
The next day, police executed a search warrant of Arthurs’ home, uncovering a bag in his bedroom containing photographs of young girls, along with some girls’ clothing, a length of rope, a small knife and handcuffs.
The court heard that Arthurs had been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome – a disorder whereby people have an inability to communicate their feelings of anxiety or understand their moods. They may also experience a lack of facial expression or body language and be unable to empathise with the feelings of others.
His lawyer Bob Richardson told the court: “He (Arthurs) has great difficulty in relating what occurred”.
He said Arthurs recounted “snaps or frames” and that his client had told him it was “like he was watching someone else doing it”.
Mr Richardson said he had asked Arthurs why he had dragged Sofia into the cubicle, to which Arthurs had responded: “I didn’t intend to kill her. I didn’t want to hurt her. I wanted to touch her”
When asked in what way, Arthurs said: “Sexually”.
The court heard that Arthurs panicked after noticing there was bruising around her eyes and neck, and she had stopped breathing.
He said he then attempted mouth-to-mouth resusciatation, but when Sofia didn’t respond, he picked her up and shook her violently.
Source – http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,22718236-2761,00.html