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Victim's Stories Murder Victims Stories From Kelly Lawrence's mother Tina From Aaliyah Morrissey's parents Brad and Hoana From Daniel Fleming's mother Sylvia From Brian Brown, father of Natasha Brown From Kristine Johnston mother of Shannon Danny Alkema From John and Val Hargreaves parents of Jennie Hargreaves From Bevan and Dawn Smith parents of Kylie Ann Smith Rita Croskery mother of Michael Choy Ann McKenzie widow of Noel McKenzie From Tai Hobson, husband of Mary Hobson From Doug Blakie, father of Lisa Blakie From Ida Hawkins, mother of Colleen Burrows In Our Courts Drink Drive Victims Stories Assault and Sexual assault

From Danny Alkema, son of Murder Victim Kate Alkema

MUM she loved me unconditionally.

Its one o'clock on a Saturday after noon, the sun was out and I had just finished going for a dive with my mate. Life had been pretty hard as of late as my best friend had died tragically only a month before. I got to my car and saw there was a message on my phone. It was my sister, she was crying telling me our mum had not returned from her walk, which she started early that morning. I knew straight away something bad had happened, as she is always very punctual. As the message finished I bent over feeling like I was going to throw up. I arrived home to find my Mums two friends sitting at the table, they told me Dad was taking one of her photos down to the police station. It was all to much I knew that someone was responsible for her not coming home, the pain was too great so I turned around and put my fist through a window cutting my hand severely.

When I came back from the hospital family had started turning up, they had been out looking for Mum but could not find her. It was now about five o'clock and two policemen had just turned up. They approached Dad to tell him Mums body had been found. I stood there in shock and watched Dad drop to his knees and start weeping; I had never seen my Dad cry before. I could not believe it and thought to myself they have got the wrong person. That week seemed like a year and is still a haze. I do remember I was not really focused on who had done this, just how I was going to survive another hour, another day. People were everywhere and I just shut down, not speaking to anyone.

We bought Mum home two days later and placed her on her bed. I lay down beside her and stared at her face, which was black and blue with bruising. At that moment something inside me changed and I vowed that the animal that had done this was going to die. How dare he do this to my mum a women who I love and would do anything for and who loved me unconditionally.

A year has now passed and the Murderer has been found guilty of taking Mums life. He has not been sentenced yet but I know it is never going to be enough. I know that he is going to have another chance at life, probably getting out at around the age in which he ended Mums life. She has no second chance, neither have any of my family and yet we have done no wrong. I am filled with hate and revenge and as a young male find it very hard to control. The police in our case have been amazing but I feel the whole system has done me wrong. Giving an animal like that a second chance is disgusting. He should never see the light of day again as my Mum will not. I used to feel very patriotic about my country but now feel as if it has done me wrong with a Justice System that serves the criminal and not the victims. For instance in the trial my Mums personal past was bought up in court and spread through the media as though she had some blame and yet this animals criminal past was not allowed to be mentioned.

I can't see myself living in this country anymore knowing this animal will be out in the future. My feelings of hate are so strong that I don't know if I can stop myself from killing him, and why shouldn't I. He does not deserve a second chance. We are not talking about a thief but someone who took my Mums life for his own pleasure. The thought of him being out worries me for the next person he may or may not kill.

Why take that risk, ask the Government.
DANNY