A BALLARAT man who bashed his elderly friend over an alleged sex-debt, then left him dying naked on the floor, was this morning sentenced to 10 years jail.
Neil Allan Baker, 56, appeared in the dock of the Supreme Court in Ballarat today, where he earlier pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Brian Pearce in January 2007.
In sentencing, Justice Elizabeth Hollingworth told the court Baker, 50 at the time, visited Mr Pearce, 76, between January 8 and 15 2007, intending to get money from him in return for sex.
After an argument over the money, Baker assaulted the older man.
Justice Hollingworth said Baker choked Mr Pearce, punched him to the face and either kicked or punched him to the ribs.
"You left Mr Pearce lying naked, helpless and clearly seriously injured, on the floor of his unit," she said.
On January 17, the court heard Baker told an alcohol and drug counsellor that he had killed someone several days before.
"You said the death was not immediate...you said you had returned to the man over the next two to three days, and tried to give him water," Justice Hollingworth told Baker, who stood in the dock with his hands clasped in front of him.
"You assaulted him — a short, elderly, vulnerable man — because you could not get the money you wanted to buy alcohol."
Taking into account the guilty plea and other factors, such as the unplanned nature of the assault and a lengthy alcohol addiction, Justice Hollingworth sentenced Baker to 10 years' imprisonment with a non-parole period of seven and a half years.
Baker has already served 1766 days.
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