An Adelaide man who brutally murdered his own daughter has been jailed today.
Petrit Lekaj pleaded guilty to killing his daughter, Sabrina, 20, after he stabbed her eight times in a fit of rage in July, 2019.
During his trial the court heard that convicted drug trafficker had got in a car with his daughter to confront her about her alleged partying and drug-taking.
Armed with a 15-centimetre kitchen knife, he claimed he only wanted to scare her.
But when she said she didn’t care about the ‘sacrifices he made to give her a better life,’ he snapped, plunging the knife into her abdomen.
Lekaj later told officer at a mental health facility that Sabrina had screamed for her life and tried to escape the car but he stopped her from leaving.
Instead, he stabbed her seven more times before turning the blade on himself.
A post-mortem report revealed Sabrina died from a combination of blood loss and strangulation.
The court heard that Lekaj told a psychologist that he ‘deserved to be in hell’ for his cold-blooded crime.
Appearing at the Supreme Court today, Justice Trish Kelly sentenced him to life imprisonment with a non-parole period of 20 years.
In handing down her sentence, Justice Kelly described the crime as a ‘catastrophic breach’ of the bond between a father and daughter, adding that ‘it is difficult for anyone to fathom how you could have done it’.
For help, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au
In an emergency, call 000.
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