“Callous” killer refuses to face victim’s loved ones in court after stuffing beloved teacher’s body in a green waste bin
- A 67-year-old English teacher was brutally killed by her roommate, who then stuffed her body in a green waste bin.
- The killer, Stephen Fleming, 48, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and could be released from prison in less than a decade.
- Fleming refused to attend court, instead appearing via video link, sparking outrage from the victim’s loved ones.
Beloved English teacher Annette Brennan’s life was brutally cut short by her roommate, who callously stuffed her body in a green waste bin after killing her.
In a shocking display of disrespect, Stephen Fleming, 48, refused to face Annette’s loved ones in court on Monday, instead appearing via video link from prison.
Fleming’s heinous crime was revealed in court, where it was heard that he had killed Annette just four weeks after moving in with her.
The 67-year-old teacher had advertised for a flatmate online and had been thrilled to find Fleming, but her family and friends now believe she was “naive” to let him move in.
“Annette’s death was a huge shock… no one should die like that, stuffed in a wheelie bin as trash,” said close friend Nanette Austin, who had confided in Annette about her concerns over Fleming.
Fleming’s crime was only discovered when waste workers found Annette’s badly mutilated body at a tip in Melbourne’s north, days after she was killed.
In a desperate bid to cover his tracks, Fleming swapped bins with a neighbour and left Annette’s body outside another property on bin day.
Prosecutors revealed that Fleming had a criminal history and was on a community corrections order at the time of the killing.
“The offender knew or was aware of what would happen to the deceased’s body when he disposed of it, it was a very grave disrespect of that body,” said prosecutor David Glynn.
Fleming’s barrister Michael McGrath claimed that his client’s guilty plea should afford him a discounted sentence, citing his psychiatric and drug abuse problems.
But Annette’s loved ones are still reeling from the shock of her brutal killing, with friend Sally Jamieson saying: “Her death has left me devastated and grief-stricken. I have many unanswered questions.”
Fleming’s sentence is due to be handed down on October 29.