Cold-hearted: Murderer jailed over frenzied, jealous stabbing attack in Launceston
“It is difficult to envisage a more arrogant and cold-hearted act.” Violent, jealous and controlling murderer Kerry Lee Whiting has been jailed for a “heinous” double-stabbing on a sleeping couple.
Police & Courts
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Jealous and possessive, Kerry Lee Whiting spent 20 years violently controlling the mother of his children before he committed the ultimate act of savagery.
When she finally managed to break free from the abusive relationship and start again with a new partner, Whiting decided to kill them both.
After sneaking into her Launceston home, Whiting unleashed a stabbing attack on the sleeping couple – stabbing Natalie Harris 27 times, and her new partner Adrian Mayne 20 times.
While Ms Harris’ life was saved by the brave efforts of their teenage son, Mr Mayne died at the scene while trying to save his partner – throwing his body over her to protect her, and yelling out “don’t stab her”.
On Thursday, after a three-week trial, Whiting was jailed for some 38 years – after a jury found him guilty of both murder and attempted murder.
He will not be eligible to apply for parole until he has served 24 years in prison.
While sentencing, Supreme Court judge Tamara Jago said the crime took place in the early hours of November 25, 2021, with Whiting not willing to let Ms Harris “move on in her life”, and resenting the presence of Mr Mayne in his children’s lives.
She said his plans to murder Ms Harris were thwarted by the “brave and desperate actions” of a son that she and Whiting shared, who grappled with and dragged the killer away from his mother.
“His bravery in intervening in this incident and his calmness and stoicism in administering first aid, should be noted,” Justice Jago said.
“But for his intervention, the end outcome for Ms Harris would almost inevitably, in my view, have been fatal.”
Justice Jago said in the 20-year relationship between Whiting and Ms Harris, he was often physically, verbally and emotionally abusive – criticising her housekeeping and becoming angry when she did not do as he expected, like having a meal on the table “as and when you demanded it”.
Ms Harris left him in June 2021 and started a new relationship later that year, with Whiting finding out about Mr Mayne about two weeks before he murdered him.
“It is difficult to envisage a more arrogant and cold-hearted act,” Justice Jago said.
“These were selfish, brutal and callous crimes committed by you because you had no other way of exerting control over your ex-partner. It was family violence of the most extreme kind.”
Whiting, a 47-year-old woodcutter and truck driver, spent several days in hiding before he was caught by police and arrested.
With time already served, he will be eligible to apply for parole in December 2045.
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