Josef Molfese sentenced over grisly Clarendon St murder of Tung Trinh
MELBOURNE man Josef Molfese was today sentenced to at least 18 years for a grisly 2016 murder. Days before, he made a disturbing threat.
A DRUG addict with a long history of violent offences will spend a minimum of 18 years behind bars for slashing the throat of a drug dealer on a busy Melbourne street.
Josef Molfese appeared in the Victorian Supreme Court on Wednesday for sentencing over the “opportunistic” murder of Tung “Ricky” Trinh.
Mr Trinh, 47, was approached from behind outside a Coles supermarket on Clarendon St in South Melbourne on March 18, 2016.
He had just purchased an ice cream with his girlfriend when Molfese, 29, used a curved blade to almost sever the victim’s carotid artery. He had planned to rob Mr Trinh, a well-known drug dealer in the area, but the situation escalated.
“The incision went almost all the way through and led to catastrophic blood loss and death,” Justice Jane Dixon told the court during sentencing.
“You impulsively slashed at the throat.”
Mr Trinh’s girlfriend Natasha Lamb tried to intervene during the attack. Her finger was cut with the blade before Molfese fled into a waiting car. In court, she said Mr Trinh lay shaking on the ground, bleeding heavily from the neck.
“He didn’t say a word,” Ms Lamb said.
The court heard Molfese had his “head bowed” and was “rocking back and forth” as the getaway vehicle drove off.
As his sentence was read out, Molfese’s family members cried. He whispered, “I love you” and reached out in their direction as he was led from the court. He was sentenced to 23 years and four months, to serve a minimum term of 18 years and four months.
Justice Dixon took into account charges of aggravated burglary and assault when delivering her sentence. She told the court that during a violent home invasion in South Melbourne two days before Mr Trinh was murdered, Molfese and two other men robbed, assaulted and threatened a 64-year-old man. One threat including cutting off the victim’s penis.
Justice Dixon said the three men approached the screen door of the home and asked the occupant for sleeping pills. When he refused, they asked him for a glass of water.
While he walked to the kitchen, Molfese and one other man broke in and began demanding drugs.
“You pushed him to the floor and struck him with a crowbar and a wooden stick,” Justice Dixon said.
“At one point the victim had his pants pulled down and threats were made for him to hand over what you wanted or his penis would be cut off.”
Molfese shook his head and looked at the floor as details of the crime were read out.
The court heard Molfese stabbed the victim in the thigh with a screwdriver before stealing items and fleeing.
The 29-year-old was no stranger to crime but wasn’t always violent. He grew up as a “happy child”, the court heard, but began misbehaving after his parents divorced when he was 10.
Molfese was diagnosed with ADHD at a young age and became dependent on drugs soon after. His first appearance before the Children’s Court came in 2002 and two years later he moved in with his grandparents.
He was expelled from school and spent time in youth detention in 2007.
He was addicted to methamphetamines by the age of 16 and heroin at 19. He had to be revived after overdosing in 2012 and 2015.
Molfese was after drugs on the night he murdered Mr Trinh. He had taken Xanax, heroin and meth earlier in the day.
“I am conscious of the fact you are facing many years in jail as a relatively young man,” Justice Dixon told him. She said Molfese’s son would be cared for by family members who had “stood by” him despite his crimes.
She said there was some hope he could be rehabilitated and become a contributing member of society but his ADHD and attraction to illicit drugs would need to be dealt with seriously.
rohan.smith1@news.com.au | @ro_smith