An Adelaide man has been sentenced to jail for murdering his wheelchair-bound wife in 2017.
Peter Dansie drowned his 67-year-old wife, Helen, by pushing her wheelchair into a pond at Veale Gardens. She had previously worked as a microbiologist before a stroke in the 1990s left her with long-term disabilities.
During the trial, prosecutors alleged that Danise murdered his wife because of the cost burden associated with caring for her.
Justice David Lovell established that the motive for the murder was fuelled by a deterioration in Dansie’s feelings towards his wife and an interest in pursuing a sexual relationship with another woman in China.
During sentencing, Justice Lovell described the murder as the ‘ultimate act of domestic violence’ and an ‘evil and despicable act’.
‘This was a chilling, planned murder of a person whose only mistake was to trust you,’ he said.
Dansie was sentenced to life in prison with a non parole period of 25 years.
Following the sentencing, Helen’s family commended the work of the SA Police and prosecutors involved in the case.
However, they revealed they would support a thorough review into the way the state government deals with ‘the rights of the most vulnerable’ to ensure they are protected.
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