Grumpy Old Man Slays Housemate in Clayton

A convicted murderer stabbed his housemate to death over a garden bed dispute.

Crime: Manslaughter

Occurred: Thursday, 20 October 2011

Where: 13 Thompson Street, Clayton

Sentenced: 9 April 2013 

Convicted:  Periklis Papadopoulos

Victim:  Andonios Mirtsopoulos

What happened?
Periklis lived in Clayton with Andonios and another gentleman named George, in what the Judge described as a 'rooming house, of some sort, for elderly Greek men'.  Unfortunately, Periklis and Andonios did not get along.  Two weeks prior to his death, Andonios dug out a garden bed for a vegie patch.  On the night before the killing, Periklis planted his own vegetables in the garden bed.  The next day, upon discovering his vegetable patch had been stolen, Andonios loudly complained to George.  Periklis emerged from the house, holding a knife and a pear, and an argument then ensued.  George watched as the two men yelled at each other.  Andonios began pulling out the tomato plants. Periklis pushed Andonios into the fence. The pair exchanged fisticuffs until George broke them up.  Not content to leave it there, Periklis ran back towards Andonios, who also moved towards Periklis.  Periklis plunged the knife into Andonios' chest, killing him at the scene. Periklis said, "oh no what have I done, I'm going to go to jail for this bastard".  He ran inside, changed his clothes and fled out onto the driveway.

13 Thompson Street, Clayton, where the manslaughter occurred.

Victim's background
Andonios was 72 years old when he was killed.  He was estranged from his wife and children, which the Judge noted made it all the more sadder that his death cemented no prospect of reconciliation with his family.  Shortly before his death his daughter had gotten back in contact with him.

Convicted's background
Periklis grew up in a poor farming family in a Greek village.  His family were unable to afford his education and he left school at 16 and became a tradesman painter. He migrated to Australia in 1969, met his wife and moved back to Greece in 1978 with her in tow.  After having a son and daughter, the marriage was understood to have come to an end, but the couple continued living under one roof due to religious and social pressures.

In 1992, Periklis was convicted in Greece for the voluntary homicide of his cousin, a charge equivalent to murder under Victorian law. That incident occurred after a hunting trip, when the cousins stopped in at a tavern for a drink.  Periklis and his cousin were involved in an argument.  Periklis fetched his gun from the boot of his car and shot his cousin dead.

After being convicted and serving a total of 16 years, he was released from prison in 2008. He left his wife and children in Greece and migrated back to Australia and worked as a painter, living at the premises in Clayton.  For the six months leading up to the manslaughter, Periklis and Andonios had bickered over petty issues and there was one other occasion when their housemate George had to break them up.  Periklis was 65 years old at the time of the stabbing.

Periklis planted four or five tomato and pepper plants
in the controversial garden bed (source).

Outcome of trial 
There was no trial because Periklis pleaded guilty.

Sentence 
Periklis was sentenced to a maximum of 11 years and six months with a minimum 9 years before eligible for parole.  Almost a year and a half of the sentence was served while on remand.

In sentencing, the Judge commented that both the victim and the convicted were 'grumpy old men' and that Periklis had been 'provocative' in planting his vegetables in Andonios' garden bed.  The Judge took into account the prior conviction in Greece and stated that specific and general deterrence were significant factors taken into consideration in the sentence, given that Periklis had been released from prison in 2008 and three years later had killed again and the killing had occurred over such a 'petty issue'.  The Judge commented on Periklis' limited remorse, stating that any remorse Periklis indicated was concerned mainly with the punishment befalling him rather than his actions.  The Judge further stated that the sentence reflected a need to protect the public.  Had the Periklis not pleaded guilty, he would have been sentenced to 13 years with a minimum of 10 years and six months before eligible for parole.

This case was unsuccessfully appealed by Periklis in 2014.

You can read the judgment here.  News articles are available here and here.