Robert Peters, 56, Strangles Daughter Sophia, 7, To Save Her " Pain" Of Financial Ruin

[Abroad]

An antiques dealer has pleaded guilty to the murder of his seven-year-old daughter.

Robert Peters throttled Sophia with a dressing gown cord in the family home in Wimbledon, south-west London, on 3 November last year.

He then called police to report what he had done and the child was rushed to hospital but she died the next day.

The 56-year-old had denied murder but changed his plea on the third day of his trial at the Old Bailey.

In a police interview played in court he told officers he had become "too tormented with my life" and "wanted to do away" with his entire family, but could not.

Peters, who owned an oriental antiques business based in Kensington, told officers he was struggling and expected to go bankrupt within months, meaning the family would lose everything, including their home.

Speaking about Sophia, he said he did not consider himself to be a "good father" and blamed his "personality" for not loving his daughter as he should.

He also said he had recently returned to the family home after the end of a two-and-a-half year affair with a married Home Office official.

In the months before the killing, Peters searched the internet for "serial killers", "treatment of child killers in prison" and "premeditated murder", the jury heard.

Inquiries later showed Peters' business was not in trouble and he had money in the bank.

The court heard Peters waited until his wife Krittiya had gone out before he woke Sophia up in bed by tying a cord around her neck and throttling her for up to half an hour.

When she asked him what he was doing, he replied "sorry" but carried on as she struggled.

Police arrived at the home in Blenheim Road after Peters called 999 and calmly told them: "She's upstairs. I've strangled her."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-43894341

 

[Satanica]

His story doesn't make sense at all, so what was the real reason he killed her?

 

[Anubis]

throttling her for up to half an hour.

I'll take financial ruin over a 30 min throttling any day.

 

[Dutchgirl]

Speaking about Sophia, he said he did not consider himself to be a "good father" and blamed his "personality" for not loving his daughter as he should.

This ^ creeps me out for some reason. Maybe he was starting to have dirty thoughts about his daughter? Or, I've been on this site too long out:

 

[Muriel Schwenck]

He never wanted his daughter in the first place. He was mad at his wife for getting pregnant in the first place but if he divorced he'd have to support them. That's the real "financial ruin" he anticipated.

 

[Keepalowprofile]

. he woke Sophia up in bed by tying a cord around her neck and throttling her for up to half an hour.

Up to a half hour!!!!!

. When she asked him what he was doing, he replied "sorry" but carried on as she struggled.

 

[Ripley]

Selfish prick.

 

[Sejanus]

Death by hanging is the only answer.
A very poorly executed hanging where his tip toes can touch the ground.
Draw it out.
Then as he passes out, lower him, let him recover for a day or three then string him up again.
Wash, rinse, repeat.

Guy is a devil and should suffer.

 

[Abroad]

A father has been jailed for murdering his daughter by strangling her with a dressing gown cord at their family home in south-west London.

During sentencing, Mr Justice Edis described Peters as "deceitful and manipulative" and "calculating and disingenuous" in the way he hid his plans.

"This was a determined, premeditated killing in which there was an intention to kill," he said.

The judge said it was "impossible to imagine the last few conscious minutes of that child's life".

"Asleep in bed, she no doubt felt safe and believed that, should she need it, she had the protection of her father."

The jury had heard that Peters told police he had financial worries and his business was going bankrupt - even though later inquiries found he had money in the bank.

The former Israeli soldier had also recently ended a two and a half-year affair with a married Home Office official he met online.

In the months before the killing, Peters searched the internet for "serial killers", "treatment of child killers in prison" and "premeditated murder".

He chose his opportunity to kill Sophia before she had been due to return to her boarding school after the half-term break.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-43946667

 

[Sjalawine]

He definitely needs to find out first hand how child killers are treated in prison.

 

[ChaosKitty]

wtf is wrong with people that thin they can treat children and animals like disposable handi wipes? there's no room for excuses, imo