Face of Nation : The first blow to the head with a small sledgehammer did not kill 82-year-old Allan Pedersen and he turned to face his murderer, who had been invited into his home. Michael Andrew Dalton, 60, was surprised at his neighbour’s strength and hit him a second time.
Dalton pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced in the West Australian Supreme Court on Thursday to life in prison with a minimum of 18 years to be served. “No sentence can ever reflect the value of human life that is lost,” Justice Bruno Fiannaca said.
Dalton had no dispute with Mr Pedersen, but wanted money to buy methylamphetamine, the court heard. While Mr Pedersen was showing Dalton a photo album, the drug addict attacked the victim inside his home at an Orelia retirement complex on February 6 and stole $400.
Mr Pedersen, a former navy officer, was found later by a friend picking him up for a medical appointment and he died in hospital from head injuries. Dalton had been using meth every day for the past four weeks at the time of the killing and had not slept in 10 days. The stolen money was used to buy one gram of meth, the court heard.
Dalton’s lawyer Karen Farley told the court her client, who is from South Africa but has lived in WA since 2000, had a life of dysfunction, marred by violence perpetrated by him and against him. Ms Farley said Dalton, a former military serviceman, had made bad choices and his greatest regret was ever taking that first taste of meth.
“It’s had such a hold on his life for so long, he could see no other way out,” she said. “He is yet another example of the scourge of that drug in our community and what it leads people to do in order to obtain more of it.” Prosecutor Sean Stocks said although Mr Pedersen had a long life, it was still cut short.
He said the first blow was designed to be fatal, but Dalton did not realise Mr Pedersen was so tough. The second and third blows were not done out of rage, rather they were designed to achieve the same end, Mr Stocks said. Mr Pedersen had no family in Australia but was friends with others in the retirement complex.
Dalton had also been friendly with Mr Pedersen and previously borrowed money from him, the court heard. Justice Fiannaca said it was an “unprovoked and fierce attack on an unsuspecting and vulnerable” victim.
“The blows were delivered with considerable force and with the intention of killing,” he said. Justice Fiannaca accepted Dalton had cooperated with police and provided a reliable version of events. Dalton admitted to authorities that Mr Pedersen was no threat to him.
“I did what was in my mind,” he said. “Yeah, I’m guilty … premeditated.” Justice Fiannaca said the fact Mr Pedersen was reminiscing about his past at the time of the attack suggested he still had much to live for. He said Mr Pedersen had a right to feel safe in his home and his trust had been betrayed.
