Australian father killed three boys out of spite

12 April 2012

A man was jailed for life today for murdering his three young sons by driving them into a reservoir in Australia on Father's Day to spite their mother.

Robert Farquharson, 41, of Melbourne, was taking his three sons, Jai, 10, Tyler, seven, and Bailey, two, to his ex-wife's home when he veered his car into the water and left the boys to drown, in September 2005.

He claimed he had blacked out during a coughing fit but prosecutors said that after swimming from his submerged car he had the "delicious reward" of telling his ex-wife, Cindy Gambino, about their children's deaths.

In July, a jury convicted Farquharson for all three murders for the second time. His 2007 conviction and life sentence without possibility of parole were quashed last year by an appeal court that ordered a retrial.

Outside court Ms Gambino said Farquharson should never be released: "It's a life sentence for me. It should be a life sentence for him."

Murder carries a maximum sentence of life in prison in Australia but few killers are denied the prospect of release.

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