Grieving father forgives man who admitted murdering his daughter Jenoa Sutton, court hears

A grieving father says he has forgiven his daughter’s ex-partner who finally admitted murdering her and leaving her body in a bath more than a decade ago.

In his victim statement, read before the NSW High Court on Friday, Eric Sutton said that as time went on it appeared Rodney Dempsey might get away with murder.

Dempsey, 53, faces a hearing after pleading guilty to the murder of Jenoa Sutton, 27, whose body was found in the bathroom of her Lithgow home on March 8, 2012.

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Dempsey was arrested in 2020.

Prosecutor Nicholas Marney stated that Dempsey intended to kill his ex-partner when he hit her with a hammer-like object.

Judge Peter Hamill on Friday heard impact testimony from the victims, prepared by their heartbroken relatives.

Her father said he entered a period of grief after Jenoa’s death, mixed with anger and hatred for Dempsey.

This worsened when Dempsey was arrested, but Sutton’s “guardian angel” told him he had to forgive Dempsey if he wanted to be at peace.

He had forgiven him now, but the deep sense of loss remained.

Jenoa’s body was discovered by her sister, Erica Ellery, who told the court that she still could not go to a bath and had lived in fear for the life of the family for many years.

“My family will never recover from the loss of Jenoa,” she said.

Citing the defense’s description of the attack as “an explosion of violence,” Marney said the blow to Jenoa’s head fractured her skull.

“It just wasn’t a man who lashes out in one act,” he said.

“It was a series of isolated acts, assaults if you will.”

Dempsey returned to work immediately after the murder.

“That was a man who was able to collect himself and keep going,” Marney said.

The hearing continues.