Toddler killer sentenced

Toddler killer Brendan Pallant has been sentenced to 32 years in prison.

Pallant, 37, appeared in the Victorian Supreme Court on Monday, having been found guilty of murdering two-year-old Jaidyn Gomes-Sebastiao. In delivering her sentence, Justice Jane Dixon set a non-parole period of 25 years.

Outside court, Jaidyn’s mother Stacie Saggers said her family was pleased at the sentence.

“Excellent. Thirty-two years. Justice has finally prevailed for Jaidyn,” she said.

“Absolutely ecstatic, me and my family.”

Jaidyn was attacked in his bedroom at his family’s southeast Melbourne home in September 2019.

At trial last year, the jury found Pallant injured the child in what prosecutors described as a “short but profound period of stress and frustration” while Ms Saggers was at work.

Ms Saggers and Pallant were in a relationship.

In court on Monday, Justice Dixon accepted Pallant was distressed on the day Jaidyn died, because of pending court matters.

Ms Saggers and pallant used methamphetamine together, the Justice said.

Pallant was looking after Jaidyn while Ms Sagger was at work.

Ms Sagger had raised concerns with associates about incidents where Jaidyn appeared to bruised after being in Pallant’s care, the court was told.

The mother came home and found her child unresponsive. Prosecutors argued Pallant beat the child with a table leg.

At trial, Pallant’s barrister Rishi Nathwani tried to blame Ms Saggers, characterising her as a serial liar and a drug addict.

“We don’t suggest she murdered Jaidyn. We suggest she committed the offence of child homicide,” Mr Nathwani told jurors.

In court on Monday, Justice Dixon said there was no evidence Ms Saggers was violent, and she is not accused of any wrongdoing.

“Pallant’s father had schizophrenia and was violent,” Justice Dixon said.

A car hit Pallant causing him ongoing pain, and he never learnt pro-social mood management, the court was told.

At 12 years of age he began drinking alcohol, smoking cannabis at 14 and then heavily abusing drugs in his 20s.

Prisoners have assaulted Pallant in custody and he is frequently put into lockdown, isolation, and hospital. However, Justice Dixon said he was an intelligent man, wanted to pursue qualifications and had been learning about his Indigenous heritage.

In court a red, black and yellow bracelet snaked around Pallant’s wrist.

During the sentencing, Pallant leant his against a wall while Justice Dixon spoke, with his eyes closed for much of the hour-plus hearing.

There was little-to-no emotion on his face when the 32-year sentence was delivered.