MARK COLVIN: A bizarre extortion attempt, which terrified a Sydney schoolgirl, has resulted in a 10 year jail term for the man who planned it.
In August last year Paul Douglas Peters broke into the girl's home and chained a fake bomb around her neck. A document attached to the device demanded money.
As Peters was sentenced in the District Court in Sydney he came face to face again with his victim.
Brendan Trembath reports.
BRENDAN TREMBATH: Paul Peters and Maddie Pulver were together again but the balance of power had shifted since their first encounter.
He sat in the dock, facing the prospect of a long jail term. Maddie Pulver was in the front row of the public gallery, shielded by family members and detectives.
She left Sydney's District Court with some satisfaction.
MADDIE PULVER: I am pleased with today's outcome and that I can now look to a future without Paul Peters's name being linked to mine.
BRENDAN TREMBATH: Maddie Pulver faced a large media throng.
Few teenagers have ever had this much attention. But she kept her composure, reading a short statement, from the screen of her smart phone.
MADDIE PULVER: I realise that it is going to take quite some time to come to terms with what happened but today was important because now the legal process is over.
For me it was never about the sentencing but to know that he will not re-offend. It was good to hear the judge acknowledge the trauma he's put my family and me through.
BRENDAN TREMBATH: One afternoon in August last year, Paul Peters broke into the Pulver home at Mosman on Sydney's north shore.
The court heard he wore a multi coloured balaclava and was armed with a baseball bat. Peters chained a box to the schoolgirl's neck and said, "count to 200, I'll be back."
A note said the device contained powerful plastic explosives. There was also a demand for money.
Hours later, close to midnight, bomb disposal experts confirmed the device was a fake. But it was still an exhausting ordeal for Maddie Pulver and her family.
Bill Pulver is incredibly proud of his daughter.
BILL PULVER: Maddie Pulver is a very, very special young lady who has handled herself with incredible poise and dignity.
BRENDAN TREMBATH: Mr Pulver also praised the way sentencing judge Peter Zahra handled his role.
BILL PULVER: We actually feel an incredible sense of relief today; to listen to the judge summarise all of the events leading up to August 3rd then to hear him articulate so clearly his interpretation of the evidence which essentially says that this was an extortion attempt and while there were some psychiatric circumstances in play, they simply did not excuse the actions of this man.
BRENDAN TREMBATH: Paul Peters did not give evidence. His true motivation might never be known.
One forensic psychiatrist said Peters was in an extremely disturbed mental state, that he lived in a fantasy world and took on the role of a character in a novel he was writing.
Another expert said Peters was not suffering from a major disorder.
The Judge Peter Zahra said he was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Paul Peters planned the extortion attempt for financial advantage.
The judge said Peters "intended to place his very young victim in fear she was going to be killed".
Maddie Pulver is still dealing with that awful night in August last year.
MADDIE PULIVER: It has been a surprise to me that this year has been much harder than last year but I'm lucky enough to have a wonderful family and friends and we'll all making great progress.
BRENDAN TREMBATH: She's now 18 about to begin the next stage in her education. She says plans to go to the University of Sydney and study arts.
Her father Bill Pulver hopes they can now move on.
BILL PULVER: It's been a difficult 16 months but I think it's behind us and yes we can, we can.
BRENDAN TREMBATH: How do you have a normal life though? It must be hard worrying about security all the time.
BILL PULVER: No, no look, we don't worry about security. This is an anomaly in our society. It's never happened before and I think the judge has imposed a sentence which will act as a sensible deterrent and I trust it will never happen again.
MARK COLVIN: Bill Pulver, whose family was the victim of an extortion attempt last year, ending that report from Brendan Trembath.
No comments:
Post a Comment