Robert Xie sentencing over Lin family killings: Crown asking for back-to-back life sentences
THE Crown has called for back-to-back life sentences for serial killer Robert Xie, arguing the murders of five members of the Lin family constitute “criminality of the highest order”.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Xie’s wife Kathy Lin vows to stand by her man
- How jealous desire drove Robert Xie to murder
- The evidence that put killer Robert Xie away
THE Crown has called for back-to-back life sentences for serial killer Robert Xie, arguing the murders of five members of the Lin family constitute “criminality of the highest order”.
“The case before the court involved a trusted relative, slaying an entire family in the most brutal, callous and calculated fashion and he did so whilst they were in their bedrooms in their quiet suburban home — a place where they were all entitled to be safe and secure and a place where young Terry and Henry should have been able to happily pursue their childhood,” Crown prosecutor Tanya Smith said in front of a packed sitting of the NSW Supreme Court today.
In January, a jury found Xie guilty of murdering his brother-in-law Min “Norman” Lin, 45; Mr Lin’s wife Yun Li “Lily” Lin, 43; her sister Yun Bin “Irene”, 39; and the Lins’ two young boys Henry, 12, and Terry, 9, in their Epping home in July 2009.
He bludgeoned his brother-in-law and his family to death in their bedrooms, motivated out of jealousy and his perceived “subordinate status”.
During his sentencing hearing today, Ms Smith also urged Justice Elizabeth Fullerton to sentence Xie to life for each of the murders by pointing out the high degree of “meticulous” planning he took in the lead up to the murders.
“He used a key that had been entrusted with as a family member to silently enter the home for the purposes of killing,” she said.
The court also heard how he had used his knowledge as a trusted family member, including the layout of the house and the location of the power box where he cut the electricity.
Ms Smith also said Justice Fullerton would have to take into consideration the planning went as far as Xie sedating his wife Kathy on the night of the murder but she would have to be satisfied of this fact beyond reasonable doubt.
“The killings constitute criminality of the highest order — the level of culpability in the present offending is just so extreme that it cannot be reflected in a lesser sentence than life imprisonment,” she said.
Xie’s legal team did not make any submissions on his behalf but said he continued to maintain his innocence.
His wife Kathy, whose family was murdered, continues to support him and believes her husband was unfairly targeted by police.
She sat wearing a pick cardigan clutching the hand of a Salvation Army officer, just a few metres from where Xie was seated in the wooden dock.
After the hour-long hearing, the grandparents of the slain family cried as they cradled pictures of their murdered children and grandchildren outside of the historic King St court complex.
A majority 11 to one verdict was delivered after the conclusion of Xie’s fourth trial for the serial killings.
“I did not murder the Lin family, I am innocent,” Xie stood up and declared as the jury left the court after delivering its verdict.
A jury found Xie was motivated to kill his brother-in-law and his family out of jealousy and because he was infuriated with his perceived “subordinate status”.
“… he was hurting the people that had not given him the respect and admiration he believed he was entitled to,” Crown prosecutor Tanya Smith told the jury in her opening address.
The 53-year-old carried out the murders with a hammer-like object and knew the layout of the house well enough to manoeuvre around in the dark.
“This was a well-planned crime of a personal nature with a single person who has carefully improvised a murder weapon,” Ms Smith said.
Justice Elizabeth Fullerton will sentence Xie on Monday.
Sydney can’t have more housing without Metro: Report
Sydney is going to need to build hundreds more Metro, train and light rail stations if the state has any hope of solving the housing crisis, a new landmark report has found.
Labor MPs dumbfounded by Albanese’s clifftop purchase
State Labor MPs have slammed Anthony Albanese’s recent property purchase, labelling the timing of it as “stupid” and saying it shows his “lack of political and social understanding”.