Murder ‘vile, senseless’

A SOUTH Australian was stomped on, stabbed and left to die in a pool of blood with a fruitcake on his head in a “vile and senseless” murder, a court has been told.

David Saunders, 59, was attacked at a home at Hayborough, south of Adelaide, in February last year, suffering at least six blows to the head and two stab wounds.

Leslie Kevin James Talbot, 51, was found guilty of murder with Mr Saunders’ grieving daughter telling the Supreme Court the world now seems a more “dark and evil” place.

Stephanie Saunders (pictured with David) said attending the trial was the most difficult thing she had endured.

“Hearing how my dad died on that evening has broken me,” she said in a victim impact statement. “Breathing the same air as the people who committed such a vile and senseless crime sent my stomach sick.”

Ms Saunders said her only feelings towards Talbot were anger and hate.

Talbot had admitted manslaughter before the trial, but his guilty plea was not accepted by prosecutors.

Another man, Eldon Wayne Crouch, 48, was previously found not guilty of both murder and manslaughter.

Talbot will be sentenced on October 19.