THE young daughter of deceased Bordertown man Rex Court has been having “restless dreams” about her dad being hurt since the night he was killed by Jordan and Dominic Von Stanke, a court has heard.
Zahalia Court’s victim impact statement was the first of nine read to a full public gallery by prosecutor Mark Norman in the Adelaide District Court yesterday.
It revealed the pain she had endured since the manslaughter of her father.
“I have woken up screaming during the night, looking for my Dad,” the statement read.
“The trauma this has had on me of seeing my Dad with blood coming from his head and ears has made me scared.
“To the bad boys who have hurt my Dad, I would like to say that I do not want you to hurt my family anymore.”
Mr Court’s sister Sarah Daniels’ statement spoke of how the Von Stankes’ actions had shattered her world, life and heart on the evening of the attack.
“You two took my brother away from my family, his children and myself,” Ms Daniels said.
“You knew that no human body could have survived what you did to Rex.
“I was so happy before you killed my brother, the day that you two turned this world into hell.”
The court heard the pair attempted to dump their car and burn their clothes before attending a party following the violent attack.
“You knew you had killed my brother, yet you still went to a party that night, you burned your clothes and you hid your car,” Ms Daniels said.
“My brain will never understand how you did not feel guilt and how you tried to hide the truth about that night.”
Ms Daniels statement highlighted how Mr Court’s children would never know what it would be like to grow up with their father.
“Rex loved his children more than anything in this world and now (the children) are growing up without a father,” Ms Daniels said.
“I no longer have a big brother here with me now – you took him away from me and you will never understand the pain I have gone through.”
Anthony Wilson – who was also seriously injured in the fatal incident – had a victim impact statement read to the court, which outlined the harrowing effect the death of his brother-in-law was having on him.
“I get frustrated way too easily – half the time I want to flip my s*** and the other half I want to lose my mind,” Anthony said.
His sister Cheyanne and the mother of Rex’s children said she was “living a nightmare that never ends”.
Each statement revealed a similar pain and hurt endured by family and friends caused by the pair’s actions on the evening in question.
