Heartless thug learns his fate for killing his stepdaughter Kaydence Mills after beating her on the head and face with a bamboo stick
A man who murdered a three-year-old girl after inflicting severe physical abuse and punishments has been jailed for life.
A man who murdered a three-year-old girl after inflicting severe physical abuse and punishments has been jailed for life.
Tane Saul Desatge, 45, was found guilty in the Queensland Supreme Court at Toowoomba of the murder and torture of Kaydence Hazel Mills some time between February 16 and May 6 in 2017 at Chinchilla, west of Brisbane.
Following a judge-alone trial, Justice Sean Cooper found Desatge caused Kaydences death by hitting her on the head and face with the bamboo stick with the intention of at least doing grievous bodily harm.
Justice Cooper on Thursday sentenced Desatge to life imprisonment with his 1,066 days spent on remand recognised as time served.
He will be eligible to apply for parole in March 2042.
Kaydences mother and Desatges fiancee at the time, Sinitta Tammy Dawita was acquitted of murder and torture at the same trial.
Kaydence had been subject to escalating violence before her death, with Desatge more frequently hitting her with the stick.
I find that Mr Desatge felt a significant degree of animosity towards (Kaydences father) and this animosity influenced his feelings towards Kaydence and his treatment of her, Justice Cooper said.
Tane Saul Desatge was sentenced to minimum of 18 years behind bars after he was found guilty over the murder of his stepdaughter Kaydence Hazel Mills (pictured)
Family members told Justice Cooper during trial that more and more noticeable bruises, often in a straight line, appeared on the little girl and she was repeatedly forced to eat her own faeces.
Kaydence was last seen alive lying on a red couch with her eyes closed and not moving at the familys home with bruises on her head and face.
Desatge and Dawita concealed Kaydences death by wrapping her body in garbage bags and initially placing her in the outhouse at their homes backyard.
The couple moved her body to Chinchilla Weir where she was buried until her body was discovered in March 2020.
Desatge and Dawita had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of interfering with a dead body.
Dawita was previously sentenced to 18 months in prison and with time already served she will be eligible for parole on September 23.
The three-year-old girl (pictured right) died at Chinchilla, west of Brisbane, some time between February 16 and May 6 in 2017
