Blake Benny: ZB reporter on Lauren Dickason being sentenced for the murder of her three daughters

Lauren Dickason could be freed this decade after murdering her three daughters in Timaru in September 2021.

She's been given three concurrent 18-year sentences today, with no minimum non-parole period.

She'll be eligible for parole in six years.

ZB court reporter Blake Benny says Dickason will begin her sentence in a secure mental health facility.

"There, she'll undergo compulsory treatment - in following that, mental health experts will make that call on whether she's reached the point of actually being mentally well enough to then be transferred to prison."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Heather due to see Allen for the murderer. Lauren Dickerson
says she's horrified by her actions. She misses her daughters
every single day. She has been sentenced today to eighteen
years with no minimum parole period, which means she could
be out after six years. She murdered her six year
old leone and her two year old twins Maya and
Carla and Timaru. In September twenty twenty one. Newstalk zb's
reported Blake Benny was in court today.

Speaker 2 (00:21):
Hey Blake, Hi Heather, how are you well?

Speaker 1 (00:24):
Thank you? Did the judge explain how he landed on
this sentence?

Speaker 2 (00:27):
Yes, Justice Camermanda says he considered a vast range of
material and legal points and believed it would be manifestly
unjust to sentence Lauren to life imprisonment, which brings a
minimum non parole period of seventeen years or more. And now,
as you mentioned, of course, she was instead sentenced to
serve three eighteen year sentences concurrently with no minimum non
parole period, so that means Lauren's actually eligible for parole

(00:50):
after a third of her sentence has been served, so
in this case six years, all.

Speaker 1 (00:54):
Right, She's starting the sentence in a mental health facility.
Is she at any point going to go to jail.

Speaker 2 (01:00):
At some point? So she will be detained at christ
Church's Helmrton Hospital. There she'll undergo compulsory treatment. In following that,
mental health experts will make that call on whether she's
reached the point of actually being mentally well enough to
then be transferred to prison.

Speaker 1 (01:13):
Before the sentence was actually handled down, there were a
whole bunch of victim impact statements who submitted them.

Speaker 2 (01:18):
So there were eight victim impact statements read today, mostly
from family. A few have been suppressed, but what I
can tell you is one included Lauren's husband, Graham Dickerson.
He's moved back to South Africa, but attended via a
video link with the statement read on his behalf. He
said Lauren lost everything he has and he actually decided
early on to forgive her, saying having to live with

(01:39):
knowing what she did is severe enough punishment. Those sentiments
were echoed by Lauren's father, Malcolm Forks, when he bids
the court for mercy in its sentence. What was really
evident though he through most of the victim impact statements
from family, is the feeling that not only did they
lose the three young girls, but they lost Lauren two
and are still grieving their loss or her loss?

Speaker 1 (02:00):
How did she appear in court today?

Speaker 2 (02:02):
Little to no emotion on her face when that sentence
was delivered, and throughout the entire hearing, to be honest,
although there was clear emotion as she reacted to some
of those really tough to listen to victim impact statements.
Throughout those she was turned around and facing those speaking
directly otherwise very stylet throughout.

Speaker 1 (02:18):
And she herself apologized and court today didn't she?

Speaker 2 (02:21):
Yes? So after the sentence, seeing her defense counsel released
a statement on her behalf and that she took responsibility
for her actions and said she failed her three daughters.
She acknowledged no apology will ever be enough and while
her words mate will seem hollow to many, she is
horrified by the pain, distress, and trauma caused to so many.
Lauren said she will do whatever it takes to improve

(02:43):
her mental health and urged other women experiencing postpartum depression
symptoms to tell their loved ones so a similar pain
can be avoided.

Speaker 1 (02:51):
Blake, thank you so much for running us through That's
black Beny News Talks, eb's reporter in court. For more
from Heather Duplessy Allen Drive, listen live to News Talk
Said Bee from four pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio