Briton Jason Downie jailed for Australia triple murder

A jealous Briton who killed a teenager and her parents after she spurned his advances was jailed in Australia today for at least 35 years.

Jason Downie, 20, stabbed his victims 112 times having become obsessed with 16-year-old Chantelle Rowe when he emigrated from Scotland with his mother.

Justice John Sulan said the term "frenzied attack" did not adequately describe the triple murders of Chantelle, her father Andrew and mother Rose near Adelaide.

Downie, originally from Kilmarnock, carried out the attack in November 2010 spurred by sexual obsession.

Downie, who was 18 at the time, had fantasised about Chantelle and became jealous of his friend who was dating her.

He admitted stabbing her more than 33 times, her father at least 29 times and her mother more than 50 times.

The South Australian Supreme Court's packed public gallery wept and shouted abuse as he was sentenced for the attack.

Justice Sulan said: "The cold-blooded, merciless attack upon Chantelle - who was hiding under the bed in fear and who you dragged out, stabbed, sexually assaulted and then stabbed again and murdered - was a chilling act."

Downie's lawyer Greg Mead said his client did not remember everything that happened after he broke into the family's home in Kapunda through the bathroom window.

But the court did not accept Downie's claim that he did not break in intending murder.

He had an unrequited sexual obsession with Chantelle and went there to have sex, the judge said.

Justice Sulan added: "The circumstances of what occurred are chilling and they are all the more chilling because you do not exhibit any of the criminological characteristics of many people who come before these courts."

Outside court, Chantelle's brother Christopher, who was on holiday in Queensland when his family was murdered, was too upset to speak.

His cousin, Kylie Duffield, read a statement on his behalf that said he would slowly try to find a way to survive the tragedy.

"The lives of my dad, mum and sister viciously taken by someone of sound mind qualified this bastard, Jason Downie, to 35 years non-parole, while my family and I continue to serve life," the statement said.

Detective Superintendent Grant Moyle said no sentence could account adequately for the viciousness of Downie's crimes.

He said investigators and the person who found the bodies would have nightmares for a long time.

Australia's director of public prosecutions Stephen Pallaras said he hoped the sentence would be the beginning of a long road of mourning and healing for the family, their friends and the town of Kapunda.

PA