Brother of murdered toddler Daniel Valerio behind bars after allegedly stealing a car, leading police on wild chase
THE brother of murdered toddler Daniel Valerio is behind bars on charges of stealing a car and leading police on a wild chase while free on bail.
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THE brother of murdered toddler Daniel Valerio is behind bars on charges of stealing a car and leading police on a wild chase while free on bail.
Benjamin Valerio, 30, spat abuse at the magistrate as he was denied bail.
“You didn’t sentence my little brother’s f---in’ killer, either,” he yelled, before calling the magistrate a “f---ing dog”.
Paul Leslie Aiton bashed and tortured Daniel Valerio, 2, for months before eventually killing the child because he was crying.
Aiton was paroled in 2011 after serving a minimum 18 years of a 22-year sentence for the brutal 1990 murder.
The Baillieu government had opposed Aiton’s release but could not reverse a decision by the Adult Parole Board.
Mr Valerio was just four when his little brother died.
Police allege he stole a Nissan Skyline earlier this month, and later used it to steal petrol.
Police say they spotted the car last Wednesday morning, but when they approached the driver went through a red light and sped off. The court heard the pursuit was called off because the driver was dangerously weaving through traffic, at one point losing traction.
Police later found the vehicle outside the Coburg Motor Inn, where Mr Valerio was living. They say a key to the car was found in his room.
Mr Valerio denies stealing the car, saying he bought it on Gumtree from someone who brought it to the motel but whom he never met. The court heard he had previously been charged with stealing another car of the same model.
Mr Valerio, who was unrepresented, applied for bail, saying he had complied with bail conditions for the past three weeks despite this being a “pain in the a--e”.
As he attempted to explain how he bought the car, he stopped mid-sentence. Becoming agitated, he asked that the matter be wound up before embarking on a rant.
Mr Valerio, who faces a variety of charges including theft of a motor vehicle and evading police, will return to court on February 27.