Friday, 1 August 2008

Torched man's killers get 24 years


Vicki Yvonne Brooks (pictured) and Dennis William Childs will serve at least 24 years in jail for the murder of her former husband, who was doused in petrol and set alight.

Two people have each been sentenced to a minimum of 24 years in jail for burning a man to death in a hotel car park in Adelaide.

Vicki Yvonne Brooks, 41, and Dennis William Childs, 53, murdered Brooks's former husband Robert Andersen by dousing him with petrol and setting him alight in the car park of a hotel at Marion, in January 2005.

Supreme Court Justice Trish Kelly said it was a despicable crime that had left two children without their father.

The pair lured Mr Andersen to the car park under the pretence of arranging a child custody visit.

Justice Kelly said it was clear that Brooks had harboured animosity and anger toward Mr Andersen for some time and said she had enlisted her drinking partner Childs to commit what was a despicable crime.

The judge imposed a mandatory life jail sentence with a non-parole term of 24 years, backdated to the time of the arrests.

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