Bourke Street rampage killer James Gargasoulas jailed for life
Bourke Street rampage killer James Gargasoulas has been jailed for life for murdering six pedestrians and injuring dozens more.
In one of Melbourne’s darkest days, Gargasoulas used a stolen car to mow down and kill six people on the busy Bourke Street mall on January 20, 2017.
He was sentenced to serve a minimum of 46 years in Victoria’s Supreme Court on Friday, meaning he will be 74-years-old before he can apply for parole.
The 29-year-old’s victims included three-month-old baby Zachary Bryant, who was thrown 60 metres from his pram, and 10-year-old girl Tahlia Hakin. Gargasoulas injured dozens of others, knocking them to the ground and into walls while driving in a drug-induced psychosis.
GARGASOULAS SENTENCE: ‘ I do not accept that you are genuinely remorseful’ @7NewsMelbourne
— Sharnelle Vella (@SharnelleVella) February 22, 2019
In handing down his decision, Justice Weinberg described the crime as “one of the worst examples of mass murder in Australian History”.
“You made no attempt to avoid people or to slow down. You simply ploughed through them – quite deliberately,” he said during sentencing.
“The horror of what you did has profoundly affected many. I must ensure that the public are adequately protected from you.
“You were not suffering a mental illness at the time you committed these offences. You were suffering from a drug-induced psychosis.”
He described listening to the victim impact statements as an “agonising experience” before telling Gargasoulas that he does not accept that he is “genuinely remorseful” for his actions.
GARGASOULAS SENTENCE: ‘Whatever your state was during the offending – you are now genuinely psychotic. Your condition is not likely to improve in the foreseeable future. It is likely to worsen.’ @7NewsMelbourne
— Sharnelle Vella (@SharnelleVella) February 22, 2019
Sentencing of James Gargasoulas has begun. Justice Weinberg starts by telling the court ‘this was one of the worst examples of mass murder in Australian History.’ @7NewsMelbourne pic.twitter.com/9QCUIMuSr9
— Sharnelle Vella (@SharnelleVella) February 21, 2019
Victims families reveal heartbreak
Grieving relatives recently told the court of their pain, with the brother of Japanese victim Yosuke Kanno saying he will “continue suffering from this until I die”.
Justice Weinberg said those that were present will forever be haunted by his crimes, noting in detail the events of the “terrifying rampage” which included caused death, broken bones, head injuries and other serious damage.
Robyn Davis, the mother of victim Jess Mudie, said her daughter died three weeks before her 23rd birthday.
“Never in my wildest nightmares did I think I would have to bury one of my precious children,” she told a plea hearing in January.
The brother of Japanese victim Yosuke Kanno said he will “continue suffering from this until I die”.
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