The younger sister of a woman whose partner bludgeoned her to death with a metal dumbbell has criticized her plans to release him early from prison.
Victorian woman Katie Haley, 29, was brutally murdered by her partner Shane Robertson in 2018 while their 11-month-old daughter slept in the next room.
The mother-of-two had told Robertson she wanted to leave him after he became increasingly jealous over the course of their four-year relationship.
Just minutes after the fatal attack, Robertson called his mother and told her: “I’ve done it.” I have destroyed his brain. There are brains everywhere.
He pleaded guilty to murder and was jailed in March 2019 for 24 years. The judge ruled that he must serve at least 19 years before being eligible for release.
Six years later, Katie’s family has been dealt a devastating blow.
Katie Haley (left) was violently murdered by her jealous boyfriend Shane Robertson (right)
Bianca Unwin, Katie’s younger sister, has expressed dismay at the decision to reduce Robertson’s 24-year prison sentence due to Covid difficulties.
Robertson will not serve his entire non-parole period and will have more than a year taken off his sentence due to difficulties during the Covid lockdown.
Katie’s younger sister, Bianca Unwin, a strong advocate for victims of domestic violence, expressed her disappointment in the decision in a TikTok video in May.
Unwin said Robertson did not call for help after the assault, sparked a chase after fleeing the scene and showed no remorse.
“Does that sound like someone who should be eligible for a reduction in his sentence because of the hardships he faced during Covid,” he said?
“To me, that sounds like the worst kind of person to be released early. He showed no remorse despite pleading guilty and the courts considered it remorseful.
‘He pleaded guilty to a crime that he could not deny because he confessed it to his mother and was captured by the police. That’s not remorse. He didn’t ask for help.
He said his sister’s killer had committed a “horrible crime” but was being given a reduction of “up to 14 months” due to the “mental difficulties” prisoners faced while being “locked in their cells during lockdown.” “.
“Make that make sense,” he said.
Corrections Victoria uses Emergency Management Days (EMD) to reduce a prisoner’s sentence if they are behind bars during an emergency or industrial dispute.
Inmates were automatically considered for EMD during the Covid pandemic.
Six years after her death, Katie’s family has been dealt a devastating blow.
Shane Michael Robertson was sentenced to 24 years in prison for the brutal murder of his girlfriend
Katie’s family launched a petition calling for Corrections Victoria to cancel EMD in May, saying it posed a significant risk to community safety.
‘Violent offenders like Shane Robertson should serve their full sentences as ordered by the courts, without any reduction or early release. This guarantees a form of justice for victims and their families and protects society from possible harm,” he said.
He Change.org Petition So far it has received more than 16,000 signatures.
It is understood that the Victorian Government prevented inmates from being automatically considered for EMD from February 1, 2023.
Meanwhile, Bianca, now a mother of two, and her father have become strong advocates for victims of coercive control and domestic violence.
Bianca posts TikTok videos about Victoria’s correctional system, legislation, domestic violence and updates on her sister’s case almost daily.
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