Charles Barker, the man accused of stabbing a Western Extension resident (21) to death, was sentenced in the Benoni Magistrate’s Court on August 25 to life imprisonment for murder and 18 years for attempted murder.
The sentencing follows several postponements in the court case since 2018.
Barker, while on parole for murder, was arrested on March 5, 2018, after stabbing Adrianne Coke to death and stabbing her mother (his fiancée), Bettina-Ann Coke, at their home in Kemston Avenue.
Bettina-Ann met Barker in June 2015, when he was her neighbour and newly paroled. They started a relationship three months later and were engaged in February 2016. They moved in together into the Kemston Avenue house in July 2017.
She told the City Times she supported Barker on his monthly visits to his parole officer.
The events which led to Adrianne’s death and Bettina-Ann’s stabbing happened at the house at about 7.30am that fateful morning and Adrianne was declared dead on the scene.
The case was transferred to the Pretoria High Court in 2018; however, the sitting was at the Benoni Magistrate’s Court.
Senior Judge Herman Broodryk on Tuesday ruled that Barker is considered a dangerous criminal and society need to be protected from him.
“He is a third-time, violent crime offender,” Broodryk said in his sentencing of Barker.
He made mention of previous cases of assault and murder against Barker before 2018.
“The accused was charged with assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm in 2003 and murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances in 2005,” Broodryk said.
Before he murdered Adrianne, Barker had completed his studies as a mechanical engineer while serving a 20-year prison sentence for the 2003 and 2005 convictions.He was released on parole in June 2015 and was to remain on parole until 2025.
When he was arrested in 2018, he was imprisoned for breaching parole, while awaiting trial for the murder of Adrianne. Barker also has two children, one of whom the mother has full custody of and he contributes no maintenance towards.
Describing the well-being of Barker, Broodryk said he was diagnosed with epilepsy, had a traumatic childhood, and was diagnosed with an anti-social personality disorder in 2019.
According to Bettina-Ann, Barker was diagnosed with this same disorder in 2015.
Broodryk explained the disorder is characterised by the disregard for other people.
“They (sufferers) tend to lie, break laws, act impulsively and have a lack of regard for the safety of other people,” he said.
Counsels for the State and the accused agreed with the terms of the sentences suggested by the State and both submitted a non-parole of 25 years.
The State argued Adrianne had her whole life to look forward to, she was murdered in a gruesome and cold-blooded way and had seen Barker as a father figure.
Bettina-Ann sustained multiple stab wounds, suffered the trauma of losing her only child and required therapy for several months. She even had to learn to write again.
“The family of Adrianne is devastated by her death. The murder was planned and not a spur of the moment thing,” Broodryk said. “It is the court’s duty to protect society.”
The sentences will run concurrently. Barker is incarcerated at Modderbee Prison in Benoni.
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