WA:Murderer shouts at judge during sentencing

AAP General News (Australia)
12-12-2011
WA:Murderer shouts at judge during sentencing

PERTH, Dec 12 AAP - A man being sentenced for a strangling murder of his landlord in
the Pilbara has shouted at the judge, declaring his innocence and calling the justice
system a joke.

Graeme Lewis Ray, 42, was given a life sentence with a minimum non-parole period of
18 years when he appeared in the Supreme Court in Perth on Monday.

He was found guilty by a jury in October of murdering Derek Schaeffer, 48, after an
argument on July 18 last year in the front yard of Mr Schaeffer's house in the Pilbara
town of South Hedland.

Mr Schaeffer's decomposing body was found over a week later near the town dump after
a worker noticed birds of prey flying up from a patch in the bush.

Ray appeared in court on Monday by himself and was asked by Justice Eric Heenan if
he wanted a lawyer or to read documents relevant to his sentencing.

But the shaven-headed Ray declined both offers, saying he just wanted to get on with
it so he could return to prison and prepare to appeal his murder conviction.

When Justice Heenan said he understood Ray's impatience, Ray began shouting at him from the dock.

"I'm an innocent man being thrown in jail for a murder I didn't commit.

"How can you possibly understand? Don't tell me you understand," Ray shouted.

In a later outburst he told Justice Heenan the justice system was a joke "and you know it".

The court heard that Ray had been living in a caravan at Mr Schaeffer's house, and
the pair had been drinking together on the day of his death.

Mr Schaeffer went to the airport to catch a flight to Perth for a connection to the
Philippines but was kicked off the flight because he was drunk.

When he returned home, he resumed drinking with Ray and the pair began arguing before
exchanging punches, the court heard.

Witnesses, including tenants of the house, reported that Ray punched the smaller Mr
Schaeffer to the ground then dragged him by the ankles and bundled him into the back of
a van.

The witnesses reported hearing Mr Schaeffer crying out that he couldn't breathe before
his voice trailed off.

Ray drove the van away and returned within 10 minutes to wash the inside of the van
and himself with a garden hose, the court was told.

A major police search was undertaken when it became clear Mr Schaeffer was missing.

Eight days after Mr Schaeffer's disappearance, a worker noticed birds of prey over
a patch of bush near the dump and found his decomposing body face down on the ground.

Justice Heenan said a post-mortem examination found Mr Schaeffer had been strangled
by "blunt force" neck suppression maintained for several minutes.

He noted Ray's lack of remorse and history of alcohol abuse before sentencing him to
a mandatory life sentence with a minimum non-parole period of 18 years.

AAP ldj/jl/goc/

KEYWORD: LEGAL: RAY

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.