A British man has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for the manslaughter of Maree Vermont and for setting fire to her home in an attempt to cover up the crime. Victorian Supreme Court Justice Andrew Tinney handed down the sentence on Friday, denouncing Timothy Loosemore's "callous disregard" for Ms. Vermont.
Loosemore, 63, was found guilty by a jury in June of fatally assaulting Ms. Vermont, a 60-year-old mother of three, on August 5, 2023. He then set fire to her property in Goldie, about 70 kilometers north of Melbourne. Justice Tinney stated that Loosemore's "purpose in doing all of this was to destroy the house and the body of Ms. Vermont in order to cover up your crime."
The court heard that Loosemore met Ms. Vermont in March 2023 when she offered him a room in exchange for work on her property. They had a brief intimate relationship, but five days before her death, Ms. Vermont told Loosemore she did not wish for the relationship to continue. Justice Tinney indicated that Loosemore killed Ms. Vermont out of anger and resentment because she did not reciprocate his feelings.
"She was a person who had shown you considerable kindness," the judge said. "You repaid her kindness by killing her."
Throughout the legal proceedings, Loosemore has shown no remorse, claiming he did not harm Ms. Vermont or set fire to her home. Justice Tinney noted Loosemore's "unnerving lack of concern" for Ms. Vermont in the immediate aftermath of her death, as well as his repeated lies to neighbors, police, paramedics, and his psychologist. The judge stated that Loosemore knew precisely what he had done and chose not to tell the truth to conceal his crime.
Loosemore had been an on-and-off guest at Ms. Vermont's home, where she had spent decades building and perfecting her property. He will be eligible for parole after serving 13 years of his 17-year sentence.
Outside the court, Ms. Vermont's son Darcy expressed relief that the legal process was concluded, stating, "(The sentence) definitely doesn't represent what we've lost collectively... but it's something."
