Is Clayton Weatherstons 18-year jail sentence long enough?
The story: Apart from David Bain’s retrial, one of the most-discussed court cases of the year was the murder trial of Clayton Weatherston. Weatherston was accused of stabbing his ex-girlfriend, 22-year-old Sophie Elliot, over 200 times in January 2008. His trial this year gained widespread attention due to his assertion that Elliot had provoked him into attacking her, the violence of the attack and discussions of both his and Elliot’s personal lives and personalities. By the time he was found guilty on 22 July, Weatherston had become one of the country’s most reviled people. He was sentenced to life in prison with a non-parole period of 18 years. His lawyers have filed an appeal. The numbers: 20,787 people gave their verdict. The verdict: Not many of us want to see Weatherston back in society any time soon. 90 percent of respondents said 18 years wasn’t long enough. Those who thought his sentence was appropriate numbered 9 percent, and the other one percent didn’t know what to think. 6
