Dinush Kurera: Murderer smiles as family's grief laid bare in court

A murderer has smiled as his teenage daughter described how she will be forever haunted by his deadly attack against her mother.

The girl was 16 when she witnessed Dinush Kurera, 47, repeatedly stab her mother Nelomie Perera, 43, to the neck and upper body on December 3, 2022.

Kurera claimed he was acting in self-defence when he killed his estranged wife.

But a Supreme Court jury rejected his story, instead finding him guilty of murder.

Prosecutors are calling for Kurera to be jailed for life.

At a pre-sentence hearing on Wednesday, Kurera’s daughter told the court she struggled to sleep or feel safe in her home since her mother’s murder.

“What happened will forever haunt me,” a statement read by the prosecutor said.

“Having that image of my mother in her last moments will always be in the back of my mind.”

The now-18-year-old described Ms Perera as her best friend, saying it was devastating her mother was not there for big life moments such as her recent year 12 graduation.

She shared how difficult it was giving evidence during the trial.

“I dreaded having to speak in the court, knowing my words could be twisted,” the statement read.

“They tried to make out like I was lying.”

Kurera, seated in the dock at the back of the court, leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed and smiled as her statement was read out.

He reacted the same way when a statement from his now-19-year-old son was aired.

The boy, who Kurera struck with an axe before killing Ms Perera, told the court he no longer wanted to have children.

“I was always told my whole life that I was like my father,” a statement read by the prosecutor said.

“I’m afraid if I have children I would treat them the same way.”

The boy said he felt betrayed by Kurera and the anger and hatred would not diminish.

“He is not my dad anymore - he’s just another person,” the statement said.

There were 27 victim impact statements tendered to the court, with 14 of them read aloud.

Kurera’s barrister Stacey Stanley conceded the crime was a serious example of murder, given Ms Perera suffered 35 separate wounds and the children were present.

Kurera had shown no remorse and he continued to deny the murder, but Ms Stanley argued her client should not receive a sentence of life behind bars.

She said he did have prospects of rehabilitation and his offending lacked premeditation such as other cases where offenders have received life terms.

“It would not be out of range for the court to consider a sentence that’s not life,” Ms Stanley told the court.

But prosecutor Mark Gibson KC said a life prison term was within range.

Kurera went to Ms Perera’s house with an axe and a jerry can of petrol with the intention to threaten her, which Mr Gibson said showed a level of premeditation.

Two children being present was also an aggravating feature, the prosecutor argued.

Justice Amanda Fox is expected to sentence Kurera on December 19.