The father of murdered hit-run victim Dale Watson says there are no winners in the case, but he is glad justice has been served.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A jury on Tuesday took 40 minutes to find Joshua Josef Barker guilty of fatality hitting Mr Watson on a footpath at Prospect Vale, but the 31-year-old was deemed not criminally liable for his actions because he was insane at the time.
Terrence Watson sat through all seven days of Barker's Launceston Supreme Court trial, saying he learnt a lot about what happened to his son during the proceedings.
"I found out how Dale died," Terrence said.
Barker mounted a kerb in his Ford Ranger on the corner of Burrows and Knox streets on March 9, 2018, and hit Mr Watson from behind, propelling his body 14 metres.
THE TRIAL
Mr Watson died from serious traumatic head injuries.
Terrence said his son was a lovely boy who was getting his life together.
"I am glad of the outcome and, you know, I don't want anyone else to walk in my shoes," he said.
"In this, there's no answers. I feel sorry for [Barker's] parents too, they've lost a son in their own way, we're both losers."
The hit and run happened a street away from where Barker was bashed by four men with blunt objects in June 2009.
Barker's sister Gina told the court she lost her brother that night, with Barker diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the assault.
He suffered from delusions, paranoia, profuse sweats and lived in fear of the men who bashed him.
Defence and prosecution agreed Barker was suffering from a mental illness on March 9.
THE TRIAL
A career medical officer who assessed Barker said he was suffering from an acute phase of PTSD on the day Mr Watson was killed.
Barker was also found to have assaulted Fastway Couriers driver Mr Bumford on the same day as the hit-run, but was again found not guilty because he was insane at the time.
After the verdict was returned, defence lawyer Evan Hughes said Barker hadn't undergone any therapy or treatment since moving from the Wilfred Lopes Centre to Risdon Prison.
"This is not a simple or straight forward case," Mr Hughes said to Justice Robert Peace.
A report by the chief forensic psychiatrist was ordered to assist Justice Pearce in determining which of the five orders - restriction order, supervision order, treatment order, conditional release order or unconditional release order - under the Criminal Justice (Mental Impairment) Act 1999 should be made for Barker.
