William Anthony Karran jailed for killing his wife

As a husband raped, bashed and strangled his wife so viciously she died, he had no idea she was secretly recording him. WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT

For 25 minutes the tape played to the court a recording in which a husband repeatedly told his terrified wife: “You’re going to die and I’m going to prison, that’s the end result of today”.

After starting the week facing trial for the manslaughter of his wife in 2017, William Anthony Karran, 77, sensationally changed his mind at the last minute on Monday, pleading guilty in Maryborough Supreme Court to manslaughter, 11 counts of rape, 14 counts of strangulation or choking and three counts of sexual assault.

Crown Prosecutor Greg Cummings began the sentencing by playing a tape to the court that would expose the sickening, brutal assault on Gail Karran, who had been married to her killer for more than 30 years.

In the tape, Karran sounded at times enraged, at times taunting.

He repeated numerous times that he had no problem going to prison, and that Gail was going to die.

At times, slapping could be heard.

The court was told Gail, 66, was struck 105 times during the assault, many of those in the face where, in her autopsy report, she was found to have deep bruising – so deep she had bruising and contusions to her brain.

After starting the week facing a trial, William Anthony Karran, 77, changed his mind at the last minute, pleading guilty in Maryborough Supreme Court to manslaughter, 11 counts of rape, 13 counts of strangulation or choking and three counts of sexual assault.

In the tape, Karran said he was angry at being forced to spend the night in the police watch-house, where he was taken after committing domestic violence against his wife earlier.

After being released from the watch-house that night, he walked home.

About 5am, he arrived home, walked directly into Gail’s bedroom where, unknown to him, she had started recording, most likely anticipating trouble upon his arrival home as she had previously used the recorder to tape his tirades, the court heard.

Eerily, in the background of the recording, what sounded like a morning television program could be heard, the cheerful noise a stark contrast to the horror unfolding in the bedroom of the Karrans’ Hervey Bay home on that day, November 1, 2017.

As Gail could be heard gasping for breath, Karran taunted her over and over, telling her “today is the day you f------ die sweetheart and it’s … going to be a long day for you, trust me”.

Gail and William Karran. (William) Karran has been jailed for killing, raping, choking and assaulting Gail in 2017.

In another part of the tape, Karran tells his wife: “I don’t think you’re going to walk out of this house alive today”.

“I’m grateful to go to jail, I’m f------ 72 years old. I don’t care,” he continues.

At the 25 minute mark, the tape was turned off in the courtroom, just before the recording of the sexual assaults began.

Karran sat in the dock during the sentencing, showing little reaction to what was said.

But Gail’s devastated family, including her sister Kaye White, sat in shock as they heard the tape for the first time.

Tissues were given to Mrs White as she wiped away tears.

Gail died three days after that violent attack.

She had already been in fragile health, suffering from scleroderma, also known as CREST Syndrome, a fact her husband was well aware of, the court heard

In the days following the attack, she suffered a series of seizures as a result of frontal brain contusions suffered during the assault.

One of the seizures left her unconscious in hospital where she later died.

Her family never got to say goodbye.

In her heartbreaking victim impact statement which she read aloud to the court, Mrs White described being with her sister in her final moments in hospital, describing holding her hand in her time of need and saying it was “a privilege”.

A year later, her husband was charged after an extensive police investigation, but he had maintained his innocence until this week.

William Karran jailed for killing his wife.

The recording, the court heard, would have been played to the jury if the trial had gone ahead.

For almost two hours the attack on Gail continued, every moment captured on the recording.

In court it was described by Mr Cummings as “confronting and extremely difficult to listen to”.

“One can barely imagining the suffering,” he said.

Karran’s offending was described as “remorseless”, with his guilty plea coming at almost the last possible moment.

The court heard during his brief time in custody when he was arrested, Karran had been beaten to the point of unconsciousness at Maryborough Correctional Centre.

He would be a vulnerable prisoner because of his age, the court heard, and there was a strong possibility he would spend the remainder of his life in prison.

William 'Bill' Karran pleaded guilty to wife Gail's manslaughter.

Justice Graeme Crow said Gail had repeatedly asked for mercy during the assault, but Karran had been “relentless”.

He said it was to Karran’s credit that when she started having seizures in the days following the assault he sought medical treatment for her.

When asked by paramedics on one occasion what had led to the seizure, he had made partial admissions to striking or hitting his wife, Justice Crow said.

“Of course, that was a complete minimisation of what you had done,” he said.

He described Karran’s behaviour as “cruel and tormenting conduct”, including subjecting her to demeaning sexual assaults.

“You knew what you were doing. You knew it was wrong,” he said.

“You repeatedly said you’d gladly go to prison for the rest of your life and that you’d be delighted to do so.

“Today you get your chance.”

Justice Crow sentenced Karran to 12 years in prison.

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