Wife jailed over plot with lover to kill hubby

Wife jailed over plot with lover to kill hubby

A woman in Melbourne, Australia, who plotted with her lover to kill her multi-millionaire husband has been jailed for 12 years.

Vicky Soteriou, 44, had her lover Ari Dimitrakis stab her husband Chris as they walked arm-in-arm after celebrating his 44th birthday at a Melbourne restaurant in January last year.

Vicky Soteriou had her lover Ari Dimitrakis stab her husband Chris

Chris Soteriou suffered life-threatening injuries.

Justice Elizabeth Curtain ordered Vicky to serve at least nine years before being eligible for parole.

She said Soteriou had engaged in highly manipulative conduct.

"You did not wield the knife, but you intended your husband's death just as surely as if you did," Justice Curtain said in sentencing.

"It is difficult to appreciate the profound sense of betrayal that he must feel in the face of the knowledge that his wife with her lover had attempted to murder him on his 44th birthday, of all days."

The judge said there was no explanation for Soteriou's plot to try to murder her husband other than her passion for Dimitrakis.

"Had your plan come to fruition your three children would have been left without a father, a consequence of your criminality which it appears you were prepared to discount," she told Vicky.

"It follows that your conduct is properly to be regarded as heinous conduct of the highest order and a gross betrayal of the trust that reposes between husband and wife."

Viuckydid not react as Justice Curtain delivered the sentence.

Outside court, Chris Soteriou said he was relieved the legal process was over.

"Move on from here on, a chapter closes," he told reporters. "I still can't make sense of the whole tragic event."

"I'm satisfied with the outcome, certainly my extended family are not very pleased about the outcome."

His fam! ily memb ers who stood behind him, wore white T-shirts on which were printed a pair of handcuffs and the words "justice served". The word not had been written in permanent marker between the words "justice" and "served".

Chris Soteriou said he was relieved the legal process was over

Giving evidence earlier this year, he said that until the night he was stabbed, he believed he had the perfect marriage and the perfect life.

He woke from a coma to be told his wife had been cheating on him. A few days later he was told that she had plotted to kill him.

As he gave evidence against his wife, Chris described the attack. He said that, as he was lying collapsed against a fence, he had told his wife: "Just look after the kids" and "I love you".

The jury heard Soteriou had been having an affair with Dimitrakis for some time.

Dimitrakis, who pleaded guilty to intentionally causing serious injury and gave evidence against Soteriou, was jailed for seven years with a non-parole period of five years.

Vicky has already served more than nine months in custody.
Source: AAP

Published Nov 28 2011