Bendigo, Victoria — Harley Hicks was sentenced to life imprisonment after being convicted of the 2012 murder of 10-month-old Zayden Veal-Whitting, a crime that shocked Australia because of its brutality and the vulnerability of the victim.
On June 13, 2014, the Supreme Court of Victoria in Bendigo sentenced Hicks to life in prison with a non-parole period of 32 years. The sentence followed a jury verdict in April 2014 that found the then-21-year-old guilty of murder.
The court heard that Hicks broke into the Veal-Whitting family’s home in Long Gully, near Bendigo, during the early hours of the morning in 2012. While inside the residence, he fatally assaulted 10-month-old Zayden as the infant lay in his cot. Prosecutors said the child suffered repeated blows from a homemade baton during the attack.
In delivering the sentence, Justice Stephen Kaye described the killing as one of the most serious categories of murder.
The judge characterized the crime as “appallingly violent” and “utterly evil,” emphasizing that the infant had been attacked in what should have been the safety of his own home. Justice Kaye said the murder warranted the most severe punishment available under the law, noting that mercy could play no role in sentencing given the gravity of the offense.
The court also highlighted the importance of protecting society’s youngest and most vulnerable members, stating that the sentence reflected both the seriousness of the crime and the need for community protection.
The murder of Zayden Veal-Whitting devastated his family and deeply affected the Bendigo community. The case attracted widespread public attention throughout the investigation, trial, and sentencing because of the horrific nature of the offense.
With the life sentence imposed, the court brought the criminal proceedings to a close, although the loss suffered by Zayden’s family remains immeasurable. The case continues to be remembered as one of Victoria’s most tragic and disturbing crimes involving a young child.