Monday, 25 February 2008

Man jailed for bashing girl to death

The ACT Supreme Court has sentenced a man to 15 years in jail for the manslaughter of a four-year-old girl in Canberra more than two years ago.

Darren Lee Cassidy pleaded guilty to killing South Australian girl Trinaty Monique Howarth with a saucepan and walking stick on November 26, 2005.

The girl was the daughter of Cassidy's then girlfriend, Alicia Wilson.

The three travelled from Loxton in South Australia to Canberra to visit Cassidy's brother.

In sentencing, Chief Justice Terence Higgins described the killing as brutal, cowardly and merciless.

He accepted the 42-year-old did not intend to kill Trinaty Howarth but said it was a serious crime that required a lengthy sentence.

Cassidy will be eligible for parole in 10 years and two months.

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