ID :
166543
Tue, 03/08/2011 - 13:24
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Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/166543
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Vic man admits murdering girlfriend
March 8 (AAP)-A Melbourne man told his girlfriend to "hurry up and burn" after stabbing her and setting her alight at a suburban petrol station.
David Hopkins then used a knife to threaten onlookers who tried to help Nicole Joy Read, 42, as her body and clothes were ablaze, according to court documents.
As he paced around Ms Read, Hopkins was heard saying: "Burn bitch, I hope you die" and "Let her burn in hell" and "Hurry up and burn", court documents state.
Hopkins, 40, during a preliminary hearing at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday, pleaded guilty to murdering Ms Read.
The attack began when Hopkins got out of Ms Read's car, refuelled it, then got back inside and squirted her with the petrol nozzle at a Bayswater service station on the morning of June 1 last year.
She screamed for help and sounded the car horn but he stopped her from leaving through the driver's door.
Hopkins then stabbed her in the neck with a knife, squirted more fuel over her and used a cigarette lighter to ignite it, causing Ms Read and the car to catch fire, according to court documents.
She crawled from the car and collapsed with her body and clothing alight.
Hopkins paced around her, brandishing a knife.
He threatened others trying to go to her aid for almost three-and-a-half minutes as she lay on the ground burning and screaming for help.
At one point, he held his knife close to his own throat and moved it in a "cut throat" motion, shouting "f*** off" to one witness.
He threatened to kill a second witness and hit his own chest as if stabbing himself.
Hopkins was eventually forced away by a witness who drove at him with his vehicle, allowing others to rush in and move Ms Read away from the burning car.
She was taken Melbourne's The Alfred hospital and died later that day from extensive burns.
Hopkins was found by police seated on the steps of a church 200 metres from the service station, wearing a bloodstained T-shirt and holding a knife.
He was taken into custody after a two-hour stand-off with police.
He was treated for burns and stab wounds to his body and admitted to hospital staff he had taken cannabis, speed, ice, Viagra, testosterone and alcohol within the last 24 hours.
Magistrate Charlie Rozencwajg ordered Hopkins to appear in the Victorian Supreme Court for a directions hearing on March 22.
Family members of the victim were in court, sobbing on hearing the guilty plea.
Hopkins, dressed in a white shirt and black trousers, clasped his hands during the brief hearing, looking over at Ms Read's sobbing family.
Afterwards, Ms Read's daughter, Ashlea, told reporters she was happy that after eight months, "something's finally happened".
David Hopkins then used a knife to threaten onlookers who tried to help Nicole Joy Read, 42, as her body and clothes were ablaze, according to court documents.
As he paced around Ms Read, Hopkins was heard saying: "Burn bitch, I hope you die" and "Let her burn in hell" and "Hurry up and burn", court documents state.
Hopkins, 40, during a preliminary hearing at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday, pleaded guilty to murdering Ms Read.
The attack began when Hopkins got out of Ms Read's car, refuelled it, then got back inside and squirted her with the petrol nozzle at a Bayswater service station on the morning of June 1 last year.
She screamed for help and sounded the car horn but he stopped her from leaving through the driver's door.
Hopkins then stabbed her in the neck with a knife, squirted more fuel over her and used a cigarette lighter to ignite it, causing Ms Read and the car to catch fire, according to court documents.
She crawled from the car and collapsed with her body and clothing alight.
Hopkins paced around her, brandishing a knife.
He threatened others trying to go to her aid for almost three-and-a-half minutes as she lay on the ground burning and screaming for help.
At one point, he held his knife close to his own throat and moved it in a "cut throat" motion, shouting "f*** off" to one witness.
He threatened to kill a second witness and hit his own chest as if stabbing himself.
Hopkins was eventually forced away by a witness who drove at him with his vehicle, allowing others to rush in and move Ms Read away from the burning car.
She was taken Melbourne's The Alfred hospital and died later that day from extensive burns.
Hopkins was found by police seated on the steps of a church 200 metres from the service station, wearing a bloodstained T-shirt and holding a knife.
He was taken into custody after a two-hour stand-off with police.
He was treated for burns and stab wounds to his body and admitted to hospital staff he had taken cannabis, speed, ice, Viagra, testosterone and alcohol within the last 24 hours.
Magistrate Charlie Rozencwajg ordered Hopkins to appear in the Victorian Supreme Court for a directions hearing on March 22.
Family members of the victim were in court, sobbing on hearing the guilty plea.
Hopkins, dressed in a white shirt and black trousers, clasped his hands during the brief hearing, looking over at Ms Read's sobbing family.
Afterwards, Ms Read's daughter, Ashlea, told reporters she was happy that after eight months, "something's finally happened".
