An accused ‘Evil 8’ paedophile claims his confession shouldn’t count because he was stressed and anxious after a long police interview.
Alfred John Impicciatore allegedly raped the 13-year-old girl at the centre of the horrific case four times at her father’s house in March 2015.
His lawyer John Hawkins said he was also cold and tired – not even recalling what month it was at one stage – which he said may cast some doubt over the truth of his admissions.
Accused ‘Evil 8’ paedophile Alfred John Impicciatore claims his confession shouldn’t count because he was stressed, anxious and tired after a long police interview
But WA District Court Judge Mark Herron said it was likely Impicciatore was anxious because he’d realised the enormity of his actions and took time to own up to what he’d done.
Impicciatore was aged 45 when he struck up an online friendship with the girl’s father and allegedly raped her on his first visit to their house.
The father watched, also raped the girl, and gave Impicciatore liquid viagra.
Impicciatore was due to face trial in May but fled to NSW, which prosecutors say demonstrates a consciousness of guilt.
The Perth man allegedly raped the 13-year-old girl at the centre of the horrific case four times at her father’s house in March 2015
Impicciatore was aged 45 when he struck up an online friendship with the girl’s father and allegedly raped her on his first visit to their house
He was extradited back to WA and faced a judge-alone trial that lasted barely more than a day, concluding on Wednesday morning.
The state’s case largely rested on admissions made by Impicciatore towards the end of a police interview conducted about two months after the alleged offences.
Impicciatore repeatedly said ‘no comment’, swore and paused for long periods for much of the video-recorded interview, which lasted more than two hours.
But in the final 20 minutes, he confessed to all four charges.
The court also heard DNA on an opened condom wrapper that was found at the house matched Impicciatore’s.
Impicciatore repeatedly said ‘no comment’, swore and paused for long periods for much of the video-recorded interview, which lasted more than two hours, before finally confessing
Mr Hawkins suggested Impicciatore told police what they wanted to hear just so the interview would end but Judge Herron said it was unlikely anyone would admit to such offences for that reason.
‘He was having trouble dealing with the reality of what was being put to him,’ he said.
‘It took him some time to get to grips with what had happened… to be prepared to own up to what he’d done.’
Mr Hawkins also said the girl, in her police interview, gave a detailed account of abuse by a South African man who she referred to as ‘massage guy’ using highly sexualised language.
The court heard that Impicciatore and the girls’ father both raped the teen at her home in Perth
But in the same interview, there was a ‘paucity of evidence’ surrounding some of the charges against Impicciatore.
‘This is in the context of a child who had been effectively sexually tortured by her dad and others,’ Mr Hawkins acknowledged.
Prosecutor Justin Whalley noted the girl didn’t mention some of the details.
But she also didn’t talk about abuse by her father and instead said he tried to comfort her, which reflected a ‘hopelessly conflicted child’.
Judge Herron will hand down his verdict on Tuesday.
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