Father's day killer of three children must pay ex-wife $225,000 compo

A MAN who killed his three children by driving them into a dam in 2005 has been ordered to pay the mother of his children $225,000.

A MAN who killed his three children by driving them into a dam on father's day in 2005 has been ordered to pay the mother of his children $225,000 for grief and suffering.

Victorian Supreme Court judge Philip Cummins this afternoon ruled that Robert Farquharson pay his former wife Cindy Gambino $75,000 each for killing Jai, 10, Tyler, 7 and Bailey 2.

Farquharson was found guilty of killing his three boys in 2007 after a seven-week trial. He has lodged an appeal against his convictions and sentence, claiming it was an accident. He says he suffered a coughing fit and blacked out.

Justice Cummins said Ms Gambino's grief was “profound, deep and long lasting”. He said no one in court at the time would ever forget her cries of anguish after the guilty verdicts were read out.

“They were desolation beyond anguish,” he said. “Ms Gambino had to face her darkest fears. Ms Gambino is a truly a victim of these terrible crimes. She was intended by Mr Farquharson to be so.”

Justice Cummins also criticised Mr Farquharson for using the hearing for the compensation claim to “maintain his innocence”.

He said it was improper for him to do so given he declined to give evidence and be cross-examined in the witness box. “Mr Farquharson could have `maintained his innocence' by giving evidence. He did not do so,” Justice Cummins said. “Mr Farquharson's criminal trial and Ms Gambino's compensation application are curial proceedings, not public relations exercises.”

He also ordered the freeze on Mr Farquharson's only assets _ $66,000 in a bank account _ be lifted for Ms Gambino.