Amy Parsons murder: Melbourne victim’s killer fiance gets life

The cross-dressing killer of Melbourne woman Amy Parsons has been sentenced to life for her gruesome murder as her family revealed her dashed dreams to escape back to Australia.

The cross-dressing killer of Melbourne woman Amy Parsons will spend life behind bars for her gruesome murder, as her family revealed her dashed dreams to escape back to Australia.

Roderick Deakin-White, 38, was sentenced to life by a London court on Tuesday but will be able to apply for parole in 17 years.

Deakin-White was found guilty last week of murder after bludgeoning his fiancee, Ms Parsons, to death with a metal bar while she was in the shower last April.

Amy Parsons was murdered by her fiancee Roderick Deakin-White.

Ms Parsons had been planning to leave Deakin White over his years of abuse, his financial dependence on her and his insistence on wearing women’s underwear during sex.

Her mother Leonie Parsons travelled from Australia to sit through every day of the trial to ensure her daughter received justice.

Roderick Deakin-White will spend the rest of his life behind bars. Picture: Supplied by Metropolitan Police

Mrs Parsons was too distraught to speak but her daughter Eve gave a statement to the court on her behalf. She said Amy wanted to escape Deakin-White and get back to Australia.

“Amy was a bright light, a beautiful person … we will never get over her death,” the deceased’s mother told the court.

“Amy was so hopeful of living in Australia and living near us … now our visits will be graveside at a cemetery.

“I will forever be haunted by the manner in which Amy died in what must have been in extreme pain, swallowing her own blood.

“I will forever be haunted by the defendant deciding she was his to do whatever he wanted with her, including killing her.

“She was mine, I gave birth to her.”

Amy Parsons was described by her mother as a “bright light”.

Ms Parsons herself then spoke of the trauma of having to live with her beloved sister’s death and having to spend time cleaning up the London flat in which she was murdered.

“Each time we cleaned her flat, we had to be in the bathroom where she was murdered,” her sister said.

“Amy wanted to get married, have children, move back to Australia, grow old with someone who truly loved her

“For the defendant (Deakin-White) to tell the court that his experience was traumatic is wholly outrageous … it is nothing compared to the trauma we feel having lost Amy.”

Family members say Amy Parsons was desperate to escape her controlling fiance and return to Australia.

Deakin-White is likely to appeal after his defence that he lost control during the murder was struck out.

He had claimed through the trial that he suffered from child sexual abuse and possible autism.

Snaresbrook Crown Court judge John Lafferty said Deakin-White was an “angry, jealous man” whose word could not be trusted and who killed his fiancee in the most callous way.

“You murdered Amy Parsons in a most horrific, brutal, and savage way,” he told the court.

“She was naked in her shower in her own home, where she should have been safe.

“There is no sentence I can pass that can bring Amy back … there is no sentence I can bring that can even begin to help her family’s grieving process.”

Originally published as Amy Parsons murder: Melbourne victim’s killer fiance gets life