Vic: Suspect in sisters' murder had chilling criminal past

AAP General News (Australia)
02-02-2006
Vic: Suspect in sisters' murder had chilling criminal past

MELBOURNE, Feb 2 AAP - William John Watkins, shot dead by a West Australian police
officer and the prime suspect in the rape and murder of two Melbourne sisters, had a chilling
criminal past.

Despite a successful education, a good family life and a job as a diesel mechanic,
his drinking caused a relationship breakdown with the mother of his two children.

His record includes a rape, the vicious assault of a blind woman, six burglary convictions,
two assaults on police, several drink-driving offences and one dishonesty offence.

In May 2000, Watkins was sentenced to a maximum of four years and three months in jail
after pleading guilty to rape, aggravated burglary and theft.

He broke into the home of a sleeping woman, raped her and stole $40 from a purse in
suburban Yarraville, on November 7, 1999.

The victim, who had used marijuana before going to bed, initially thought Watkins was
her husband.

Watkins hid his face and she became suspicious and noted physical differences to her husband.

"It was at that stage the appalling realisation came to your victim and she called
out: `Who are you?'," sentencing judge Judge Bill White said.

Two months later he was sentenced to an additional 12-months' jail after he pleaded
guilty to the brutal bashing of a blind pensioner in her home in January 1998.

The petrified woman twice rang police for help after she heard noises at the screen
door and the footsteps of a person walking around the rear of her home, also in suburban
Yarraville.

The woman could not remember anything about the incident except for calling police
and then waking up in hospital with a fractured jaw and facial injuries.

Nor could Watkins, who said he remembered nothing and pleaded guilty after being told
his fingerprints were found at the scene.

A psychiatrist's report submitted at his sentencing for the rape said Watkins posed
a "low to moderate" risk to the community.

AAP mf/dk/cdh/sd

KEYWORD: SHOT SISTERS WATKINS

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