21 November 2010

Dupas found guilty of Vic cemetery murder

"Rot in hell".

With Christina Halvagis' quietly spoken words, serial killer Peter Dupas was led from the dock for brutally murdering her young daughter.

On Friday, Dupas was found guilty, for a second time, of murdering Mersina Halvagis, 25, at Fawkner cemetery in Melbourne in 1997.

After three days of deliberations, the jury's verdict was met with gasps, stomping of feet, a single clap and tears by Ms Halvagis' family and her supporters.

Her father, George Halvagis, said outside court he always had faith in the justice system, while her mother called Dupas "evil".

"We just hope there was a lesson in the future for other victims and we're going to keep on fighting to protect young innocent people," Mr Halvagis told reporters.

"I just hope that other people will get justice."

Sitting with the Halvagis family in court was Pam O'Donnell, the mother of another Dupas victim, Nicole Patterson.

Jurors were told Dupas, 57, was convicted in 2000 of murdering Ms Patterson and in 2004 of murdering Margaret Maher, but were unaware he was serving two life sentences without parole.

They were also spared details of his violent and sexual crimes against women.

Mersina's brother, Bill Halvagis, said Dupas should not have been free to attack innocent women.

"A lot of lives wouldn't have been ruined if they locked him away a long time ago," he said.

"Something has to be looked at here. This is not the end for Mersina. His day will come."

Dupas had been jailed five times, the first at age 15, and was convicted of rape four times before he committed his first murder.

Dupas was first convicted in 2007 of stabbing Ms Halvagis more than 30 times near her grandmother's grave, but the decision was overturned and a new trial ordered last year.

The retrial jury accepted the testimony of star witness, Andrew Fraser, who shared a unit with Dupas at Port Phillip prison while jailed for drug crimes.

The former lawyer said Dupas had performed a mime of his attack on Ms Halvagis and told him he did not leave any forensic evidence at Fawkner.

Dupas had also appeared shaken when a Greek inmate accused him of Ms Halvagis' murder, saying: "How does that c*** know I did it?" and stroked a homemade knife found in the prison garden, saying "Mersina".

But the defence suggested Mr Fraser's testimony couldn't be trusted and was driven by the promise of an early jail release and a $1 million reward.

However, prosecutor Michele Williams SC argued the case against Dupas was compelling.

Three witnesses placed him at the cemetery at or near the time of the killing.

Dupas lied to police when he denied he ever went to the cemetery or knew someone buried there, as his grandfather's grave was 128 metres from the crime scene.

Defence barrister Graham Thomas, SC, said Dupas could not expect sympathy, "doesn't deserve it and won't get any", but asked jurors to give him a fair trial.

Dupas, named as a suspect in murders of three other woman, was emotionless during the verdict and spoke softly when asked to enter his details for the court record.

The Halvagis family say they will now celebrate Mersina's life.

"For 13 years we've had to endure her death," said her brother Nick Halvagis.

"From now on we should be remembering the girl like she was living 25 fantastic years and that's what we're going to start celebrating - her birthday, not her anniversary of her death."

Dupas will be sentenced on November 30.

19 Nov 2010

Another clear example of how the system clearly fails the safeguard of the community.

He was already convicted previously, the let out, to commit more murders.


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