By Fin J. Ross
The brutal bashings of a five-year-old Cody Hutchings by means of his step-father promoted a massive switch in nation laws in Australia.
After Stuart John McMaster used to be stumbled on accountable manslaughter, the Victorian country govt brought the recent offence of kid homicide.
Welcome to Crime Shots—short, sharp, real crime tales from Australia's previous and current.
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The brutal bashings of a five-year-old Cody Hutchings via his step-father promoted a huge swap in country laws in Australia. After Stuart John McMaster used to be stumbled on to blame manslaughter, the Victorian nation executive brought the recent offence of kid murder. Welcome to Crime Shots—short, sharp, real crime tales from Australia's prior and current.
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Sample text
When Belinda returned, she told you that the beltings had to stop. Your response was to hit her three or four times hard in the face with your open hand. She was in pain, and terrified, as a result. You then broke down and said you were sorry. 'Your anger did not subside for long. Belinda allowed Cody to lie on the sofa. But he was restless. You gave him three or four hard back-handed slaps to the stomach and chest before sending him to his bedroom. It was then that he stumbled into the wall and again hit his head.
His sentencing upon conviction for manslaughter, on August 14, 2007, prompted outrage among the Victorian public and prompted the state Premier, John Brumby (in only his third week in office) to announce the creation of new child homicide legislation. The evidence given at McMaster's original trial, later summed up by Justice David Harper at his sentencing hearing, painted a picture of a brutal man whose uncontrollable temper was unleashed not only on young Cody but also on his de facto wife, Belinda, whenever she tried to intervene to defend her son.
The source of the problem seems to be more complicated. Ms Warren describes the strangely unfortunate connection between your affection for Cody and your view that, because you demonstrated this affection for him, he should have reciprocated by reacting quickly to whatever you asked of him. According to the evidence, his failure to respond with the speed that you thought appropriate was a significant trigger of your outbursts of anger. And while Williams Syndrome may have played a part in any tardiness in Cody's responses, your expectations of a five-year-old child were in any event totally unrealistic and inappropriate.