THE sentencing of Ross Streeter, who shot dead his father and uncle on their Natte Yallock sheep farm earlier this year, was delayed yesterday after a Supreme Court Justice requested further reports.
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Streeter has pleaded guilty to murdering his father and uncle on the morning of March 14.
Previous court appearances were told that Streeter went to the remote farmhouse near Avoca about 7.30am and killed his uncle, John Streeter, with a shotgun.
Leaving the farmhouse, Streeter returned a short time later and shot dead his father, Douglas Streeter.
During a plea hearing on December 2, lawyers for Streeter told Justice Lex Lasry that although Streeter accepted responsibility for the murders, he had no recollection of carrying them out.
Psychiatrist Dr Lester Walton also gave evidence on December 2 that Streeter showed no sign of mental impairment.
Yesterday, Justice Lasry said he decided late on Tuesday to defer sentencing, ordering another doctor’s report be prepared to determine any presence of psychological or psychiatric impairment.
“Given some anxious reflection I simply wasn’t satisfied with Dr Walton’s report,” Justice Lasry said.
“I remain troubled by the fact that he could have done what he did, to the people that he did it to.”
Streeter’s plea hearing was told he sent several letters to his mother while on remand, all stressing the fact that he couldn’t remember what he’d done.
“For the life of me I can’t remember what happened, it’s all a blur to me,” Streeter wrote in one letter.
Justice Lasry adjourned the case to a date to be fixed and said he expected the new psychological report to be completed by early February.
