Vicky Soteriou was sentenced to 12 years jail – to serve a minimum of nine years before she is eligible for parole – on Monday, for the role she played in the plot to kill her husband in 2010.
44-year-old Soteriou had her lover Ari Dimitriakis stab her husband Chris Soteriou, in a Fitzroy sidestreet after they has finishing celebrating his birthday at Alpha Ouzeri on Brunswick Street, Fitzroy earlier that night. Chris Soteriou suffered life-threatening injuries due to the stabbing attack.
Justice Elizabeth Curtain said in court that the mother of three 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,” said Justice Curtain 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.”
Whilst handing down the sentence, Justice Curtain added: “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,” to which Ms Soteriou did not react to at all.
Outside the court, Mr Soteriou said he was relieved the court case was over so he can “move on from here on.”
“I still can’t make sense of the whole tragic event,” he said. “I’m satisfied with the outcome, certainly my extended family are not very pleased about the outcome.” Mr Soteriou fell into a coma after his attack and was told about the evil betrayal when he woke. Before that, Mr Soteriou believed he had the perfect wife and marriage.
Prior to sentencing, Justice Curtain revealed she received flowers and a card from Ms Soteriou’s 15-year-old daughter; she returned the flowers and the card unopened.