Melbourne man sentenced for killing high school sweatheart

A retired mortgage broker has been handed a tough sentence for the brutal kitchen knife murder of his high school sweetheart.

A retired mortgage broker has been sentenced to 23 years in prison for the murder of his high school sweetheart, who he brutally stabbed 11 times with a kitchen knife.

Trefor William Kingdon, 65, was found guilty of the murder of former schoolteacher Mandy Melzer-Head at her remote Bendoc property in eastern Victoria in May 2020.

The court heard a tense argument unfolded before Ms Selzer threatened to leave Kingdon.

Her murder was described as a violent and brutal attack on a woman in her own home, where she was entitled to feel safe.

“People are entitled to leave relationships and particularly men don’t have any form of licence to inflict fatal violence as a reaction in order to quell their feelings of rejection,” Justice Lex Lasry said.

“A way must be found to stop men killing women who are almost utterly defenceless in the face of a weapon.”

Mandy Melzer-Head was murdered by her partner, Trefor Melzer, at their remote hobby farm in country Victoria. Picture: Supplied

The Supreme Court heard on Tuesday the couple, who reunited decades after their initial relationship, had been drinking heavily on the night of the murder before a tense argument over Kingdon’s divorce unfolded.

The court heard Ms Melzer-Head, then 63, grew increasingly angry and threw objects at Kingdon before crashing his car, made hurtful remarks about his son self-harming and threatened to leave the relationship.

At around 3am, Kingdon took a kitchen knife and stabbed her 11 times in the chest and back, puncturing her lungs and heart, causing her to bleed to death.

A friend staying with the pair, John Osborne, woke up to Kingdon telling him “I think I‘ve killed Mandy”.

As Kindon watched on, Mr Osborne called triple-0 and tried CPR for two hours but could not revive Ms Melzer-Head.

Former Perth mortgage broker Trefor Kingdonwas sentenced to 23 years in prison. Picture: Supplied

Justice Lex Lasry said the brutal attack was a gross breach of trust.

“While not planned or premeditated, you still reached for a weapon,” he said.

“The number of times (she was stabbed) should’ve given you time to reflect.

“You didn’t assist Mr Osborne or call emergency services and while there was an extent of provocation, it was not too great to warrant that reaction.”

The judge acknowledged Kindon’s lack of prior convictions, early guilty plea and genuine remorse.

He will be eligible for parole in 16 years and three months.