A Perth man who murdered another man before trying to conceal the crime by setting his apartment on fire has been sentenced to life in prison.
Perth Now have reported that 25 year-old Lane Tynan Mitchell was sentenced in the Supreme Court of WA after pleading guilty to charges of murder and arson.
The court heard that Mitchell had punched, kicked and bludgeoned Peter Anthony Jarman with a wine bottle and a statue at the 49-year-old’s North Perth apartment. The murder occurred in June last year after the pair had sex and took methamphetamine. The violence broke out after the pair argued over money.
Justice Bruno Fiannaca is reported as describing the crimes as ferocious, merciless, callous and appalling. The judge said it was astounding the former state-level rugby player was more ashamed of his homosexual relationship with the victim than the taking of his life.
Mitchell will not be eligible for parole until after he has served 20 years.
During the trial in October the court heard that Mitchell and Jarman had taken the drugs and had sex prior to getting into an argument about a taxi fare. It was not the first time Mitchell had been to the older man’s apartment and he previously spend nights there.
Before visiting Jarman on the day of the offence, Mitchell had already taken methamphetamine with a female sex worker at an address in Mount Lawley. After the violent altercation Mitchell attempted to conceal the crime by wiping content off Jarman’s computer and also attempted to destroy his mobile phone.
After setting the apartment alight Mitchell called an Uber to leave the scene. Three minutes after he left an explosion ripped through the apartment. Jarman was alive when firefighters arrived at the North Perth address but died later in hospital having suffered burns to 50 per cent of his body, alongside serious head injuries.
OIP Staff
