Bandali Debs
Bandali Michael Debs | |
|---|---|
| Born | 18 July 1953 Narre Warren, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation | Roof tiler |
| Children | 5 |
| Conviction(s) | Murder x4,[1] armed robbery |
| Criminal penalty | 4x life imprisonment[2][3][4] plus 27 years without parole[citation needed] |
Bandali Michael Debs (born 18 July 1953
Personal life
Debs was born Edmund Plancis on 18 July 1953. While Debs has avoided discussion about his childhood, in a newspaper report in 2003 his brother claimed he and Debs were tortured as children; there is no firm evidence for this claim.[6] Debs, from Narre Warren, a south eastern suburb of Melbourne, was employed as a tiler. He fathered five children, the youngest of whom, Joseph, was found dead due to a suspected drug overdose at a house in Greensborough in December 2003.[7]
Silk–Miller police murders
In February 2003, Debs was convicted and sentenced to two consecutive terms of life imprisonment with no minimum term for the murders of two Victoria Police officers, Sergeant Gary Silk and Senior Constable Rodney Miller at Moorabbin, Victoria on 16 August 1998.[3]
Jason Joseph Roberts, who police alleged was an accomplice and who was 22 at the time of sentencing, was also convicted of the police murders and sentenced to two consecutive terms of life imprisonment with a minimum term of 35 years. This decision was quashed and Roberts was acquitted by a jury in July 2022.
Murder of Kristy Harty
On 20 June 2005, police charged Debs with the murder of teenager Kristy Mary Harty,[8] who was murdered at Upper Beaconsfield on 17 June 1997.[9]
Harty was
DNA tests revealed that semen located on the body of Harty was a match for Debs.
In May 2007, Debs was convicted of the murder of Harty and sentenced to a third consecutive term of life imprisonment.[3]
In sentencing Debs, Justice Kaye remarked:
Your murder of Ms Harty was entirely senseless, needless and wanton. The evidence discloses beyond any doubt that this was not a case of a sexual encounter in which, in the heat of the moment, feelings or passions may have led to a spontaneous and irrational act of violence. Rather, and quite to the contrary, this was, most clearly, a callous, craven and senseless murder in cold blood of an entirely innocent, defenceless and vulnerable young woman. The evidence leads to the inevitable conclusion that you murdered Kristy Harty for no other reason than for the sheer sake of it.[3]
Murder of Donna Anne Hicks
Donna Anne Hicks was shot dead in April 1995 in
Having been entered into a DNA database of criminals, Debs was subsequently linked to the case through
While in the court hearing for Jason Robert's 2022 re-trial for the Silk–Miller police murders, Debs admitted that he did indeed kill Hicks.[13]
Prison life
While imprisoned, Debs has undertaken psychology classes, life skills and computer training and is employed as a prison carpet cleaner.[10]
See also
References
- ^ a b c "Guilty of killing two prostitutes and two policemen". The Age. 12 December 2011. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
- ^ a b "DPP v Debs & Roberts [2003] VSC 30". Supreme Court of Victoria. 24 February 2003. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
- ^ a b c d e "R v Debs [2007] VSC 220". Supreme Court of Victoria. 22 June 2007. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
- ^ "R v Debs [2012] NSWSC 119". Supreme Court of New South Wales. 24 February 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
- ^ "Man charged 15 years after prostitute's murder". Australia: ABC News. 9 November 2010. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
- ^ Anderson, Paul (28 May 2013). "'Everyman' serial killer Bandali Debs pays price for murders of officers Gary Silk and Rodney Miller, sex workers Kristy Harty and Donna Hicks". Herald Sun. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ^ Evans, Chris; Silvester, John (24 December 2003). "Debs's youngest son found dead". The Age. Archived from the original on 25 December 2003. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
- ^ Silvester, John; Moynihan, Stephen (21 July 2005). "DNA tests link Debs to prostitute death". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 22 July 2005. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
- ^ "Man charged with 1997 murder". ABC News. 20 July 2005. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ a b Power, Emily (21 July 2005). "No-parole call on Debs". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 6 September 2009. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
- ^ Moor, Keith (13 December 2011). "Cop killer Bandali Debs guilty of 'vile' sex murders". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
- ^ Silvester, John (1 October 2008). "Jailed killer Debs linked to 1995 Sydney murder". The Age. Archived from the original on 4 November 2008. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
- ^ Cooper, Adam. "Debs tells court he sought 'deal' with police over Roberts evidence". WAtoday. Retrieved 5 May 2022.