By Alesha Capone
A man who bashed another male to death in the backyard of a Wyndham Vale transition house has been sentenced to 33 years imprisonment for murder.
Daniel Hounslow, 42, pleaded guilty to the murder of Micah Kawalek in the Supreme Court on June 9, and was sentenced on June 18.
The court heard that on March 24 last year, Hounslow beat Mr Kawalek to death while they were both living at a property in Mount Eagle Way, Wyndham Vale, which was being used a short-term transition house for recently-released prisoners and other men requiring accommodation.
Mr Kawalek, 49, moved into the house due to his use of alcohol and a battle with mental ill-health.
The court heard that while beating Mr Kawalek to death, Hounslow was under the delusion that Mr Kawalek was his older brother.
Justice Andrew Tinney said Hounslow believed his brother had drugged and raped him as a child.
Justice Tinney said that during the attack, Hounslow punched and kicked Mr Kawalek approximately 40 times over the course of more than two hours. He also stomped on Mr Kawalek’s head.
The court heard that the next day, Hounslow contacted 000 to report the murder and police later located Mr Kawalek’s body on the Wyndham Vale property.
Hounslow told police he and Mr Kawalek had been drinking alcohol together in the days leading up to the murder.
On March 25, while Hounslow was in custody, police took a urine sample from him, which was found to contain methylamphetamine, amphetamine and ethanol.
The court heard Hounslow also told police that from the start of his association with Mr Kawalek, he felt “a powerful desire to hurt him”.
Justice Tinney said Hounslow had previously been imprisoned for eight charges of rape, aggravated burglary, making a threat to kill, unlawful assault, being drunk in a public place and possession of a controlled weapon.
Justice Tinney described Hounslow’s bashing of Mr Kalawek as “scarcely believable” in its “ferocity and duration”
Justice Tinney sentenced Hounslow to 33 years in prison, with a non-parole period of 26 years.
