GUILTY Australia - Sophie Collombet, 21, found dead in Kurilpa Park, Brisbane, 27 March 2014

[SouthAussie]

The man accused of raping and murdering French business student Sophie Collombet has been remanded in custody until May 19.

He appeared in Brisbane Magistrates Court wearing a brown prison issued T-shirt and tracksuit pants and sat with back to gallery and didn’t speak.

His mother sat in the back row of the public gallery with tears welling in her eyes.

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/que...-in-custody-20140409-36by6.html#ixzz2yLEP9OoE

Geez ... too bad they can't post a court pic ... I'd love to see if his face has yellowing bruises on it. I sooooo hope that Sophie caused him some real pain (while he very, very unfortunately caused her and her poor family the worst outcome. )

 

[enzeder]

Sophie Collombet death: Man fronts court over rape and murder of French student in Brisbane
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-04-09/man-fronts-court-over-sophie-collombet-murder/5376542

His lawyer said the man had not asked for bail probably because of the nature of the charges.

 

[SouthAussie]

His lawyer briefly spoke to media outside the court this morning, saying his client had not given any indication on how he would plead.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-04-09/man-fronts-court-over-sophie-collombet-murder/5376542


Guess they'll be waiting to see what evidence the police have (and maybe a psych evaluation?) before they make the plea decision.

Evidently he is not saying 'I didn't do it, I didn't do it!', otherwise his lawyer would be publicly claiming that already.

 

[enzeder]

Geez ... too bad they can't post a court pic ... I'd love to see if his face has yellowing bruises on it. I sooooo hope that Sophie caused him some real pain (while he very, very unfortunately caused her and her poor family the worst outcome. )

It's great that he was found relatively quickly as any telltale signs of injuries (scratches, bruises, cuts etc) BM may have on his body would still be visible.

 

[enzeder]

Benjamin James Milward, 25, remanded in custody after facing a Brisbane court for the killing of Sophie Collombet
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/na...sophie-collombet/story-fnii5v70-1226878616795

Milward, who sported reddish facial hair, averted his eyes as Ms Thacker spoke to him and looked down towards the ground.

“In the meantime you are remanded in custody. Go with the officer, thank you,” she told him.

He did not look back as police lead him into the cells.

 

[Alli1982]

Oh I see now...thanks for the tip Mrs G Norris! He is a grub...I think they said he had been sent to jail for burglary in 2012 on the 7 news. It is interesting the way the police have come out and released this person's name...I hope they find him soon.

I can't seem to sight these comments, I have done search, can see green arrow, have clicked on cache from drop down but it just takes me to parts of the fbook page and asks me to log in&#8230;.no comments previously made anywhere? <modsnip>

 

[enzeder]

SOPHIE Collombet’s accused killer has fronted a Brisbane court.
http://www.news.com.au/national/que.../story-fnii5v6w-1226878616795?from=public_rss

Ms Thacker adjourned the case for committal call over on May 19.

A person charged with murder may only apply for bail in the Supreme Court.

 

[sleuthasaurus]

I wonder if Milward intended to kill Sophie, or just assault/rob her, and then like with Jill Meagher, she fought him back. It would be very sad to know that she was gravely injured, could have been helped, but instead slowly died alone having crawled to the rotunda.
OMG I can't stop thinking about this. I cannot accept that monsters like this are in our society. It makes me fearful of walking home alone.

I want to see his fight injuries so much.

What can we do to make the streets safer for women travelling alone? Aside from better lighting, more police patrols, cameras, can we start educating young men in schools to treat women better? You could argue that assaults like this are rare, but less violent, more opportunistic assaults are so common, ie taking advantage of someone at a party. It has to stop.

 

[enzeder]

Stephen Coates &#8207;@SMCoates 10m
https://twitter.com/SMCoates/status/453700905636859905

Sophie Collombet's alleged killer in "relatively good spirits" as he's remanded in custody http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/que...cused-remanded-in-custody-20140409-36by6.html … via @brisbanetimes

 

[mandy.maree]

Another woman dead. Asaulted violently just 500 metres from her home :*(


http://m.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-...theast-melbourne/story-fni0fee2-1226871999810

 

[mandy.maree]

Stephen Coates &#8207;@SMCoates 10m
https://twitter.com/SMCoates/status/453700905636859905

He doesn't seem too remorseful..was hoping once the drugs wore off he might have got a conscience back and realized how much he's seriously messed up and hurt so many people with this horrible thing he has done. Guess i was dreaming. If he felt the slightest bit sorry he would of handed himslf in.

Can't even look at his poor mother or aunt who are there to support him. What a coward. Probably the sort that will no doubt try and blame his victim for what ended up happening (she fought back-he killed her). Hope there's no reduced sentence because of the drug use.

 

[sleepinoz]

Info on the Lawyer:

http://www.bosscherlawyers.com/michael-bosscher/

 

[sleepinoz]

Another woman dead. Asaulted violently just 500 metres from her home :*(


http://m.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-...theast-melbourne/story-fni0fee2-1226871999810

Here's the thread on that one Mandy:

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=239955&highlight=rani+featherston

 

[sleepinoz]

At least his lawyer is talking to his mother:

https://twitter.com/KateKyriacou/status/453675777972641792

Defence lawyer Michael Bosscher leaves court with Benjamin Milward's mother Diane. pic.twitter.com/V0Bc8YFkiV

 

[mandy.maree]

Here's the thread on that one Mandy:

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=239955&highlight=rani+featherston

Thank you I had a look for one but couldn't find it

 

[sleepinoz]

Looks like he is Cowan's lawyer as well:

https://twitter.com/tegangeorge/status/444704171036385281

 

[Liadan]

just realized its 4 charges! deprivation of liberty, rape, murder and ARMED robbery. What a horrendous crime. And then leaving her naked body - its unconscionable.

 

[they'll get you]

I wonder if Milward intended to kill Sophie, or just assault/rob her, and then like with Jill Meagher, she fought him back. It would be very sad to know that she was gravely injured, could have been helped, but instead slowly died alone having crawled to the rotunda.
OMG I can't stop thinking about this. I cannot accept that monsters like this are in our society. It makes me fearful of walking home alone.

I want to see his fight injuries so much.

What can we do to make the streets safer for women travelling alone? Aside from better lighting, more police patrols, cameras, can we start educating young men in schools to treat women better? You could argue that assaults like this are rare, but less violent, more opportunistic assaults are so common, ie taking advantage of someone at a party. It has to stop.

DITTO
Sophie suffered blunt force to the head so she may have fought for her dignity and life. I have a feeling her head was smashed into a seat or a pillar of the rotunda. I'm wondering how premeditated her death was. Was he hiding with a weapon, an unexpected one punch out of the dark or was he stalking her.
Would it be better to survive a rape and live? Like Jill Meagher, maybe, just maybe, if she hadn't told Bayley she was going to call the police she could be alive today?
Many women have had to submit to live.
Of course we'd all fight! Who would want to submit knowing you could be killed anyway & why give anything to a rapist.
Aghhhh rant over.

 

[Brightbird]

What a horrific act. Looks like the police have thrown every charge at him that they can. I think in Queensland it's a mandatory life sentence for murder with a minimum non-parole of 20 years. My personal opinion is that murders involving a sex offence should be on the heavier side of penalties, regardless of possible mitigating factors.

Having said that, if it turns out that drugs played a big role in BM's state of mind at the time then I feel conflicted in terms of what his future should look like. I think drugs like ice can make a dangerous person even more dangerous, but I also think that certain drugs can totally warp a person's character and mental state, sometimes to the point of psychosis. I don't know which category BM falls into. Although I still think the penalty should be hefty, in the latter case I think there is a chance at rehabilitation. But even if drugs played a role, it would be a rare incident if he was truly psychotic so I doubt that will be the case, and he should be held fully accountable. I suppose if he accepts responsibility and truly shows remorse then that will be favourable for rehabilitation. Time will tell.

I think punishment is justice for the victim and the community and rightly so, but it has little effect on the prisoner and may even be more damaging. With Adrian Bayley, it is a no brainer to me that he should die in prison because he is a dangerous man. Frankly, I don't care about punishing people like him (apart from what comfort it gives the victim's family). I just want them segregated from society. Someday, BM will be out of prison and probably with a good number of year left to live. I guess what I'm thinking is that I hope efforts are made to rehabilitate him, because I worry that prison will turn him out worse than he already is. But I also hope that everyone who works with him during his sentence are not blind to the possibility that he is another Adrian Bayley or Steven Hunter who have shown that it is possible to fool the system. It's a tough balance to strike. Sorry for the rant, but thinking about this is bringing back all kinds of thoughts I had about Adrian Bayley.

 

[enzeder]

Earlier tweet.

TEN Eyewitness News &#8207;@channeltennews 2h
https://twitter.com/channeltennews/status/453706110055100416
Lawyers say accused murderer Benjamin James Milward showed little emotion following his arrest. The latest with @AmberAW live from QLD