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Roger Dean pleads guilty to Sydney nursing home murders Roger Dean pleads guilty to Sydney nursing home murders
(about 2 hours later)
Roger Dean has pleaded guilty to murdering 11 elderly people by setting fire to a Sydney nursing home.Roger Dean has pleaded guilty to murdering 11 elderly people by setting fire to a Sydney nursing home.
Dean, 37, entered the 11 guilty pleas on the first day of his murder trial in the supreme court in Sydney on Monday. Dean, 37, entered the guilty pleas on the first day of his murder trial in the supreme court in Sydney on Monday.
He also pleaded guilty to eight counts of causing grievous bodily harm to other residents of the Quakers Hill nursing home.He also pleaded guilty to eight counts of causing grievous bodily harm to other residents of the Quakers Hill nursing home.
Three elderly residents died during the fire Dean started on 18 November, 2011, and eight died later from their injuries.Three elderly residents died during the fire Dean started on 18 November, 2011, and eight died later from their injuries.
They were Alma Smith, 73, Lola Bennett, 86, Neeltje Valkay, 90, Caesar Galea, 82, Urbana Alipio, 79, Ella Wood, 97, Dorothy Sterling, 80, Doris Becke, 96, Reginald Green, 87, Verna Webeck, 83 and Dorothy Wu, 85.They were Alma Smith, 73, Lola Bennett, 86, Neeltje Valkay, 90, Caesar Galea, 82, Urbana Alipio, 79, Ella Wood, 97, Dorothy Sterling, 80, Doris Becke, 96, Reginald Green, 87, Verna Webeck, 83 and Dorothy Wu, 85.
Dean, in a black suit, stared at the ground as he entered each plea in a quiet voice.Dean, in a black suit, stared at the ground as he entered each plea in a quiet voice.
He had earlier admitted to the manslaughter of the 11 residents but the Crown rejected those pleas.
The court has previously heard Dean started the blaze at two separate points in the building, which was badly damaged.The court has previously heard Dean started the blaze at two separate points in the building, which was badly damaged.
He has also pleaded guilty to two counts of stealing prescription drugs from the nursing home.He has also pleaded guilty to two counts of stealing prescription drugs from the nursing home.
Dean, who worked as a nurse in the home, started the fire in two parts of the building and then went on to appear on national television in the aftermath of the blaze, describing his efforts to help rescue those trapped inside.
Firefighters and paramedics who battled the fire and helped rescue the frail residents described it as one of the worst scenes they had ever dealt with.
Elly Valkay, whose 90-year-old mother was killed in the fire, said she was relieved at the outcome.
"My perfect scenario was that he would stand up in court and say guilty to all charges," Valkay told reporters.
"My prayers were answered."
Last year Dean offered to plead guilty to the manslaughter of the 11 residents but those pleas were rejected by the crown.
He also lost a bid last week to be tried by judge alone and his trial before a jury was expected to last four weeks.
Valkay says she shared a close bond with her mother Neeltje Valkay, who died of smoke inhalation four days after the fire.
"It was, I think, joy in my heart to see that my mother would say yes. Justice is going to be done, and we're going to see it," she told reporters.
She said her family in Australia and in Holland continued to grieve.
"I still do the wrong left-hand turn to go home and go past the nursing home, which I did every day," she said.
"There's been a lot of loneliness on both sides of the world ... I still have nightmares."
Gary Barnier, managing director of Domain Principal Group, which owns the nursing home, said the events of that night had caused damage to so many lives.
"At least today justice has been done," an emotional Barnier told reporters, adding he felt "not relief, just sadness" at the guilty pleas.
Despite the heroism of staff on the night, many of them struggled with feelings of guilt after the blaze, he said.
Lessons had been learnt, with fire sprinklers now mandatory across NSW, he added.
"This thing that happened was the act of one man and in no way representative of the aged care sector," Barnier said.
Justice Megan Lathan adjourned the matter for a mention on Thursday.Justice Megan Lathan adjourned the matter for a mention on Thursday.
Outside court, family members of the victims clung to each other and wept.
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