Posted: 2018-06-07 09:13:20

"These attacks display a high level of innate cruelty," Judge Desai said. "The violence was excessive and gratuitous. It was intended to cause maximum harm."

Defence lawyer Pieter Botha, who plans to appeal the conviction and sentencing, had suggested Van Breda's youth and status as a first-time offender should be mitigating factors in the sentencing. He also said his client could not show remorse because he maintains he is innocent.

Henri Van Breda has been sentenced to three terms of life imprisonment for murdering three of his family members.

Henri Van Breda has been sentenced to three terms of life imprisonment for murdering three of his family members.

Photo: AP

Judge Desai said a witness heard a loud argument in the home for several hours on the night of the killings, but there was "no explanation" for what Van Breda did. He said the killer had to be handed the "severest possible penalty."

Van Breda also received a one-year sentence for obstructing justice after the court concluded that he inflicted injuries on himself to try to mislead police.

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South Africa's government welcomed the sentencing, saying it "serves as a deterrent to others who think that violence in the family will be allowed in South Africa."

The Van Breda family lived in Australia for some years before returning to South Africa, and the judge said Henri van Breda had enrolled at the University of Melbourne.

"Your future was not bleak. In fact, it was bright," Judge Desai told Van Breda as he stood in the dock.

"You had the support of family and, more importantly, they had the means to assist you in your future endeavours, and it seems to me they would have done so."

'Total wickedness'

During his trial, Van Breda's defence claimed the family had spent a normal night at home before banging sounds were heard early in the morning.

Van Breda claimed he opened a door to see someone attacking his brother with an axe and suffered minor injuries while wrestling with the attacker.

Theresa van Breda and her husband Martin.

Theresa van Breda and her husband Martin.

Photo: Facebook

He called emergency responders more than two hours after the attack, saying he had lost consciousness. When they arrived, they found him covered in blood.

The trial heard that the axe used in the attack came from the family's home.

In finding Van Breda guilty last month, Judge Desai said the evidence the 23-year-old had carried out the attacks was "inescapable".

He said if Van Breda's lawyer could not provide "some reason for these attacks", "the only inference is that he acted in total wickedness".

AP

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