Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Shutterstock
Australia

Man showed no remorse after bludgeoning baby boy to death during a burglary

The 21-year-old man beat the baby with a homemade baton during the attack. A judge said he had shown no remorse.

AN “UTTERLY EVIL” Australian man who killed a 10-month-old boy by bludgeoning him with a homemade baton during a burglary was jailed for life today.

Harley Hicks, 21, was sentenced to a minimum of 32 years for murdering Zayden Veal-Whitting in 2012 by savagely beating him more than 30 times about the face, head and body.

Supreme Court Justice Stephen Kaye said Hicks, who denied the killing, had shown no remorse for the ferocious attack on the infant as he lay in his cot.

“He was utterly harmless, defenceless and helpless,” Kaye said in sentencing.

“Any human being with even a shred of decency and humanity could only feel compassion, tenderness and protectiveness towards an infant in those circumstances.

“By contrast, you inflicted a brutal bashing, with a lethal instrument, on that baby. You crushed his skull, you savagely beat him with at least 30 blows.

“It is almost unthinkable that any human being could have carried out such a sickening crime that you have committed. What you did was totally and utterly evil.”

The court heard that Hicks told police he was high on drugs at the time, but gave no reason why he attacked the baby.

Eleven cars and homes in the neighbourhood, in Bendigo in Victoria state, were broken into the night of the murder. While admitting to some of them, Hicks denied killing the baby.

But items taken from the home and the baton used in the murder were found in a raid of his house, the court heard.

- © AFP, 2014

Read: Missing Scottish man found in Australia after worldwide appeal >

Read: A man was eaten by a crocodile in Australia while boating with his family > 

Your Voice
Readers Comments
57
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.