Voices of the Voiceless, part 2: Grandparents, survivors and victims of crime speak out against those who wronged them
Janet Wells is just one of many victims of terrible crimes who confronted their tormentors with dignity and strength. Read their powerful statements.
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For some survivors of crime, a victim impact statement is a chance to vent their rage over the horrors they have endured.
For others, it’s a way to honour the memories of those stolen by violence – or an opportunity to stare a monster in the eyes and refuse to be broken.
And for others, it’s a moment to let go of past pain, offer forgiveness for the unforgivable and find a new purpose going forward.
Today, The Advertiser continues its series on victim impact statements given by SA’s crime survivors, and the powerful words that echo through court rooms.
VOICES OF THE VOICELESS: PART ONE
VOICES OF THE VOICLESS: PART THREE
STEVE EGBERTS, JANET WELLS AND DONNA RIGNEY
It’s said that to outlive one’s own child is a tragedy – if so, grandparents Donna Rigney, Steve Egberts and Janet Wells have experienced an even greater, more traumatic injustice.
In May 2016, Steven Graham Peet murdered Adeline Yvette Wilson-Rigney and her children Amber, 6, and Korey, 5.
He not only fatally beat Ms Wilson-Rigney but also bound and gagged the children, leaving them to die – then repeatedly lied about his culpability.
Torn apart by grief, Ms Rigney, Mr Egberts and Ms Wells could only watch as Peet falsely claimed mental illness was responsible for his crime.
They were further horrified by revelations Families SA could have, but failed to, prevent the children’s murders by failing to act on 11 mandatory reports on their welfare.
Staff from the welfare agency had even knocked on Peet’s door – after he killed Adeline but before the children died – but, receiving no answer, simply left.
Mr Egberts and Ms Wells suffered additional indignity in their dealings with prosecutors who, they claimed, misled them about the case in an “appalling” lack of empathy.
One senior prosecutor, they alleged, personally attacked Mr Egberts outside the Supreme Court, sparking a formal complaint and inquiry.
When the time came for victim impact statements, in February 2018, Ms Wells conceded the ceaseless blows had “broken” even her eternally-resilient husband.
“I loved our babies more than life itself and knowing now, how they died, kills me … it’s a vision that I can never stop thinking about … it hurts so bad,” she said.
“I will always, I mean always yearn for our angels to be back in my arms safe and sound and this time I would never let them go, ever.
“All we ask is for the scales of justice to balance and give us the chance to finally be able to grieve our precious babies and their mum.”
She said neither she nor Mr Egberts have slept peacefully, or even often, since the murders.
“But there is one thing I can guarantee – when we both close our eyes, we see their beautiful little faces,” she said.
Ms Rigney told Peet he had brought evil into the lives of all who loved Adeline, Amber and Korey.
“I wanted to die as well, I wanted to die instantly and be with Yvette and the kids but I couldn’t,” she said.
“The pain you have caused me and my family have caused overwhelming grief every day and night … I’m still crying every day and night.
“It was like, when you did this evil act to Yvette, Amber and Korey, evil entered our life because I lost everything.
“All I want to say to you is may God have mercy on your soul, because God is who you will have to face when you leave this Earth,” she said.
A week later, Mr Egberts returned to court and made a statement about the effect of the “incomprehensible tragedy” on his son – Amber and Korey’s father.
“My son is now a shell of the man he once was … watching him identify the bodies, and bury his children, was harder than anything you can imagine,” he said.
“The impact upon him cannot be explained.
“I ask for the maximum allowable sentence because of the cruelty shown to Amber and Korey, and for the peace of mind of the father left behind.”
Two months later, Peet was jailed for life with a 30-year non-parole period, which was increased to 36 years following a successful appeal five months later.
Sadly, that was not the end of the family’s dealings with the court.
In April 2019, Mr Egberts and Ms Wells had to fight prosecutors again – this time to lift an unwanted suppression order on the existence of Adeline’s surviving child.
Despite being the child’s legal guardians, prosecutors and defence counsel objected to the couple’s request – blocking publication of the Families SA inquiry.
The Advertiser intervened on the couple’s behalf and their application was granted, allowing the report to be published.
Families SA’s interactions with Amber and Korey will be the subject of a coronial inquest later this year.
JEPH KO
A popular member of the Pirie St community in the CBD, photographer, artist and library worker Jeph Ko fell victim to a sudden crime on a completely different cafe strip.
In July 2016, he was sitting outside Manto Cafe on The Parade, Norwood, when a van pulled up alongside him.
A man jumped out and snatched his $2500 laptop – Mr Ko gave chase, only to be dragged under the van for 60m.
Police later found the van dumped and torched on River Rd, Port Noarlunga, while Mr Ko spent the next seven weeks in hospital.
As he fought to recover from spinal injuries, and his friends sought to raise funds online to cover his medical bills, maternal honesty brought the thieves undone.
James Michael Watts, the van’s registered owner, had given his mother a new laptop, saying he did not want it because “it would implicate me”.
She immediately turned the computer in at a police station, sparking a search that uncovered the van’s cut-up number plates at the home of Watts’ girlfriend.
That led officers to both Watts and his co-offender, Kieran Callaghan-White, who eventually pleaded guilty to including theft and aggravated counts of recklessly causing serious harm.
In December 2018, Mr Ko stood up in the District Court and read his victim impact statement to the duo – his words doubtlessly catching the greedy thieves off-guard.
“I’ve had a lot of emotion toward you guys in this whole ordeal, but now I’m ready to move on and get on with my life,” he said.
“To do that, I have to trust you will learn from your mistakes and get on with your lives, too.
“Despite what you have done, I want you to know you have been forgiven.”
He noted the physical and psychological burdens he continued to carry, including pain and paranoia, but refused to let the incident dominate his future.
“What’s done is done … things happen for a reason, and my being alive has given us all a second chance,” he said.
“I urge you to take the same opportunity – all I ask of you is to be lawful … I wish you all the best.”
A month later, the court – which praised Mr Ko’s “very gracious” attitude – jailed Watts and Callaghan-White for four years.
Mr Ko, who attended the sentencing in person, found that a fair penalty.
“Forgiveness was probably as much for my benefit as well as theirs,” he said outside court.
“I personally don’t think being angry is the best way to make change, or for me to move on.”
JILL ROMEO
It took 1749 days – one day short of 250 weeks – for Jill Romeo to hear a killer driver admit to the horrific accident which killed her sister Leanne Smith.
The behaviour of Ian Peter Clarke, in May 2015, was nothing short deplorable.
He was meth-affected and speeding at 200km/h on a dark rural road when he collided with the car being driven by Mrs Smith.
She died at the scene while her son Ryan was left with life threatening and permanent scars which are an everyday reminder of the traumatic accident.
But despite initial charges being dropped against Clarke, Mrs Romeo did not let the injustice lie.
She worked with SA Police Major Crash detectives to ensure her sister’s case remained ongoing.
The force of her desire for justice was one of the main factors in detectives getting the crucial data which led to Clarke pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.
During sentencing submissions, Mrs Romeo gave her victim impact statement before a packed court containing family of both Clarke and Mrs Smith as well as detectives and media.
“How can I possibly describe the impact this has had on me?” she said.
“It is the impact of the emotions such as incredible sadness, emptiness, loneliness, stress and so many other feelings I can’t put into words.
“It is the physical impact of the stress as well as the time this has consumed in my life and the exhaustion it has caused.
“From the moment you caused the crash you have had an impact on my world and the pain you caused is still very real.
It is just heartbreaking that Leanne is not present in the lives of her children anymore. I believe the decline in my father’s health was a direct result of the circumstances of Leanne’s death.
“I have this huge gapping hole in me now, it is like a part of me is missing.”
Clarke was jailed for eight-and-a-half years for the driving offence as well as a series of other fraud and driving related offences.
CARRON WICKENS
Angry his wife of seven years wanted to end their relationship, Alexander George Freeman blocked Carron Wickens inside her bedroom and horrifically and repeatedly stabbed, slashed and sliced her to near death.
In an attack lasting several minutes, the former mental health nurse and butcher repeatedly plunged the 30cm weapon at her in a vicious, unprovoked and premeditated attack on the morning of December 7, 2017.
Festering with anger, he had waited until her adult son had left their North Haven home before launching his attack, using a $6 knife he bought days earlier from The Reject Shop.
Despite her sickening ordeal, Ms Wickens found it within herself to face Freeman in a pre-sentence hearing in the Supreme Court and bravely deliver a powerful victim impact detailing the frightening an attempted murder.
“Without any words spoken and with focused intent, you stabbed me multiple times,” she said.
“I tried to protect myself from the knife with my right arm and hand.
“After the last blow to my lung I believed I was going to die, gave up defending myself and told you I loved you and always had.”
She described begging Freeman to call an ambulance, but instead he callously threw clothing from the washbasket had her and slapped the knife in and out of her right hand.
“You showed no remorse and left me to die,” she said.
She suffered stab wounds to multiple parts of her body including her lung and spine, which required surgery. She suffered nerve damage, restricted movements in her hands and arms and lost the ability to feel the temperature of the shower.
Her psychological issues include post-traumatic stress disorder.
“Every day my scars, which are still healing, are a horrific reminder of what you did to me,” she said.
She told Freeman she forgave him, but could not forget what he had done.
Prosecutor Kelly Smith had told the court Freeman harboured a festering anger at Ms Wickens for wanting to end their relationship.
Experts warn the time when a woman tried to leave an abusive relationship is often the most risky.
Frontline workers encourage women in abusive relationships to seek support when planning to leave.
Outside court, Ms Wickens thanked those who had aided her recovery and had a message for anyone in an abusive relationship.
“To those men and women who are in abusive relationships, I encourage you to value your worth, recognise the signs of abuse, seek help and plan your escape silently to protect the safety of yourself and loved ones,” she said.
Freeman was jailed for nine years and 10 months, with a non-parole period of five and a half years.
READ PART 3 ON ADVERTISER.COM.AU TOMORROW
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