An Australian mechanic has been sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of murdering British tourist Peter Falconio five years ago.
Bradley Murdoch was also found guilty of abducting Joanne Lees, Mr Falconio’s girlfriend, on the Stuart Highway in the Northern Territory outback in July 2001.
The trial in Darwin had heard that Mr Falconio and Ms Lees were driving along the Stuart Highway when they were flagged down by Murdoch.
The jury was told that Murdoch then shot Mr Falconio, and bound Ms Lees. But she managed to escape into bushes and hide for five hours before being rescued. Mr Falconio’s body has never been found.
After the delivery of the guilty verdict, Northern Territory Supreme Court Judge Brian Martin said there was 'only one penalty sanctioned by the law of the Northern Territory and that is life in prison'.
During the eight-week trial Murdoch had claimed he was hundreds of kilometres away from the scene of the Falconio crime. He did admit that he was a drug smuggler who transported 'large quantities' of cannabis across Australia.
Scientific experts said Murdoch's DNA matched that found on blood on Ms Lees' t-shirt and the couple's van.
Outside court today, Ms Lees, 32, asked Murdoch where he had hidden Mr Falconio's body. 'I would like Bradley John Murdoch to seriously consider telling me...what he has done with Pete,' she said.
'Today marks the conclusion of an intense period of stress for myself and the Falconio family. This will enable us to take another step in the grieving process for Pete,' she added.
