Darren Mark Wake: Tasmanian man jailed for Christmas Day stabbing murder of ex-wife

A resentful and angry father who murdered his ex-wife on Christmas Day in a brutal and vicious stabbing will spend up to 26 years in jail.

Darren Mark Wake used a folding knife he bought online to stab 52-year-old midwife Rachel Wake 17 times at her Hobart home in 2021.

Wake went to the house intending to assault Ms Wake if she prevented him from seeing their son, who was inside.

Their daughter, Romany, was parked outside after driving her dad to the house when he said he wanted to deliver a present and a hug.

Ms Wake told her former husband to leave immediately when he tried to enter, relaying a message from their son he didn’t want to see him.

Their son had earlier in the year decided to live with Ms Wake because of his father’s “angry, aggressive and emotionally manipulative behaviour”.

In the Supreme Court of Tasmania on Wednesday, Justice Helen Wood said it was a brutal and vicious attack motivated by anger and resentment.

“(Ms Wake) was entitled to trust that you would not harm her. She had no chance to protect herself. She was helpless,” Justice Wood said.

“She tried to ward off your blows but you persisted with your attack.

“You killed her in her own home - a place she should have been safe.”

Justice Wood said Ms Wake stood her ground and was entirely justified in doing so when Wake tried to enter the house against her wishes.

She suffered 24 knife injuries, including three stab wounds to her face and neck and four to the upper chest - the deepest 97mm.

Some were inflicted when she put up her arms to defend herself.

“She must have realised in those moments (the) purpose was to inflict lethal force,” Justice Wood said.

“She endured that knowing her son was in the house and her daughter nearby.”

Wake, who has been in custody since the murder, was sentenced to 26 years in jail with a non-parole period of 17 years.

Speaking outside court, Ms Wake’s 80-year-old mother Maureen Sierink said the loss of her daughter had been agony.

“This sentence is not long enough. It could never be long enough. It will not bring our beautiful daughter back,” she said.

“I will hate him forever for what he has done. She was so full of colour, full of sparkle and now that is gone.”

Romany, who has spoken publicly against domestic violence and has since been diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder, thanked people who had supported her family.

“We’re finally starting to get some justice for my mum,” she said.

Justice Wood said Ms Wake had been a devoted mother who always put her children first.

Wake, aged 60 at the time of the crime, pleaded guilty to murder in December after initially entering a plea of not guilty.

He made admissions to police on the day of the crime but later lied to officers about certain things in a self-preservation attempt.

Wake, who quit his job shortly before the murder, was deeply remorseful and regretful and had prospects for reform, Justice Wood said.

1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)

Lifeline 13 11 14