35 years’ jail for killer of mother

Helen Wicking, mother of murdered woman Joanne Wicking.

Victim Joanne Wicking’s mother, Helen, outside court. Photo: Wayne Taylor

A MAN who fatally stabbed a Victorian mother-of-four and seriously assaulted two of her children weeks after he was released from jail, has been sentenced to 35 years in jail.

Sean Eugene Maraffko, 42, a baker, was yesterday jailed over the murder of Joanne Wicking, 29, at her house in Albert Street, Kilmore, on March 6 last year.

Maraffko also tortured and assaulted two of her daughters, aged 10 and eight, which included repeatedly punching, kicking, stabbing and burning one of them with an ignited aerosol can and smashing a ceramic dish over her head.

The elder girl fled the house when he ordered her to go and get her two-year-old and four-year-old siblings.

A neighbour saw her running along the street, gagged and with a jumper and duct tape tied around her head. He immediately contacted police.

The court heard that Ms Wicking had called triple-0 crying and screaming for help three times between 4.51pm and 4.57pm on the day she was murdered but each time Maraffko informed the call-taker that it had been an accidental call.

Justice Elizabeth Curtain yesterday ordered Maraffko to serve a minimum of 30 years’ jail before becoming eligible for parole for his ”utterly and completely reprehensible” crimes.

The court heard Maraffko had moved in to Ms Wicking’s house as a lodger 18 days before her death after meeting through a mutual friend when he needed a place to stay to get parole.

He had received a two-year jail term in July 2009 for charges including recklessly causing injury, false imprisonment, unlawful assault and breaching an intervention order.

His 33 convictions included entering a police station while drunk in 1998 and threatening to kill staff. Ms Wicking had been warned about Maraffko’s aggression. He apparently told her on an earlier occasion to stop provoking him.

He pleaded guilty to one count of murder and two counts of intentionally causing serious injury.

Outside court, Ms Wicking’s mother, Helen, said Maraffko had devastated the family.

”We have been handed a life sentence by the murderer,” she said.

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