25 years jail for 'homicidally violent' Payet
James Payet, the man who stabbed his ex-wife to death as she protected her pregnant daughter from a frenzied knife attack, has been jailed for a minimum of 25 years.
Payet was jailed for life for the murder of Angela Ferullo at a Como hair salon last June, a crime Justice Lindy Jenkins described as brutal and calculated.
His earliest possible date of release is June 2038.
Payet had also pleaded guilty to the grievous bodily harm of Selina Bello, Ms Ferullo’s daughter who was 22 weeks pregnant at the time of the attack, and the unlawful wounding of salon customer Peggy Kew, who attempted to hinder the crazed assault.
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Ms Bello, who recovered from her injuries and gave birth to a healthy baby, was in court to see her stepfather jailed.
Sentencing Payet, Justice Jenkins said Payet had indulged in his rage, and effectively "hunted" Ms Ferullo. She described the attack on Ms Bello as callous and appalling.
"You let your rage build and build, and then let it boil over," Justice Jenkins said
"These feelings made you homicidaly violent."
At a sentencing hearing earlier this week, prosecutor Linda Petrusa recounted how Payet had terrorised Ms Ferullo in the days leading up to the attack, threatening to slit her throat.
After being asked not to attend a family christening, Payet's rage boiled over, and he sneaked into Ms Ferullo's house and hid in the roof space.
After threatening a lodger at the house with a 40cm knife, Payet drove to Ms Bello's salon and forced his way in.
After attacking the pregnant Ms Bello, her mother threw herself across her daughter to protect her.
She suffered fatal stab wounds in the attack, with Ms Bello suffering wounds which needed surgery, and Ms Kew also being injured in the attack.
Ms Kew was labelled a hero' by Justice Jenkins.
Ironically, Ms Ferullo had attended court earlier in the day to obtain a violence restraining order against Payet.
Defence lawyer Laurie Levy said the day of the murder had been an "eruption of violence", after years of drug taking and violence within the marriage.
Payet had stopped taking medications for depression, and was taking steroids at the time of the attack, Mr Levy said.
In a brief statement outside court, Ms Bello said the family would try and get on with their lives without their mother and friend.
"We are happy with the outcome of today, but no amount of time can bring our Mum back," Ms Bello said.
