BRENDAN Pallant will spend at least 25 years behind bars for the 2019 murder of two-year-old Jaidyn Gomes-Sebastiao in Langwarrin.
Pallant had been living with Jaidyn Gomes-Sebastiao’s mother for a short time when the murder took place. He used part of a metal table to inflict fatal head injuries on the toddler while his mother was out of the house on the afternoon of 2 September, 2019.
On 18 July last year, a jury found Pallant guilty of Gomes-Sebastiao’s murder. Last week, he was sentenced in the Victorian Supreme Court to 32 years in prison. A non-parole period of 25 years was set. Justice Jane Dixon said that the age and vulnerability of the victim played a part in the sentencing. “The law regards all human life as unique and sacred. However, the life of an infant or a young child is especially precious, because children are so vulnerable and defenceless,” the judge said. “The ordinary, natural instinct of any decent human being is to feel tenderness and protectiveness to an infant or young child.”
Pallant, now aged 37, grew up in Mornington and attended Mornington Primary School and Mornington Secondary College. The court’s decision read that he has used drugs throughout his life, and had used the drug ice on the morning of the murder.
In her sentencing, Justice Dixon said “I agree with the Crown submission that neither personal distress and loss of control nor the effects of drug use provide any excuse for an assault of this nature on a two-year-old child.” “Although you did remain at the scene and answer police questions, I consider that your behaviour after the assault on Jaidyn was largely self-serving and aimed at deflecting responsibility for the injuries to Jaidyn. You have continued to deny responsibility and shown no remorse. Your moral culpability is high,” Dixon said.
Man sentenced for toddler’s murder
