Aussie Man Given Life for Drowning Death of his Three Sons

Published : October 17, 2010 :: 12:10:58 [ 1,559 views ]

An Australian father has been given a life sentence for the drowning murder of his three young sons in what prosecutors called “an unspeakable act of vengeance.”

Australia, the 16^th of October 2010: A Supreme Court judge in the Australian state of Victoria handed Robert Farquharson [41] a life sentence with possibility of parole after 33-years for the murder of his three sons.

Farquharson had been driving his car carrying his sons, Jai [10], Tyler [7] and Bailey [2] to visit their mother on Father’s Day 2005 when he drove into a lake, leaving them to drown while swimming himself to safety.

The prosecution said that Farquharson acted out of anger and resentment against his ex-wife Cindy Gambino. He had pleaded not guilty to murder, saying he had blacked out during a coughing fit at the wheel of the car.

In 2007, Farquharson was convicted to life imprisonment without parole, but a re-trial was obtained upon appeal, leading to his conviction in July this year. Supreme Court judge, Lex Lasry, told Farquharson that he must serve 33-years of his life sentence, but could be eligible for parole after that, at nearly 75-years-of-age.

Ms. Gambino told reporters that the chance of parole means his sentence is not long enough, “It’s a life sentence for me. It should be a life sentence for him,” she said. Justice Lasry argued in favour of parole, saying Farquharson was “not a threat to the community as best as I can tell”.

Justice Lasry explained, “prior to these terrible incidents, you (Farquharson) could be properly described as a man of good character. Even if it’s momentary – if it’s a momentary crime – it’s a momentary crime of the most breathtaking proportions.”

Friends and relatives of the father say he is a broken man who deeply loved his children and would carry the grief with him forever.