#Swordmurder: Bauermeister sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment

Pierre Bauermeister, 18, was sentenced in the Roodepoort Magistrates’ Court to 10 years’ imprisonment for the murder of his grandmother in 2014.

Bauermeister will spend three years at the Bosasa Youth Development Centre and his sentence will be backdated to his arrest on 15 December 2014. When he reaches the age of 21 the court will consider the centre’s reports and after a re-evaluation by his psychiatrist, Doctor Pralene Maharaj, it will decide whether he should serve the rest of his term in a adult correctional facility.

Leading up to the sentencing Regional Court Magistrate Delize Smith referred extensively to the Child Justice Act, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution and previous cases. She said the court decided that the sentence was appropriate based on various factors, which include his circumstances at the time, his psychological problems, his dysfunctional family, the fact that previous incidents of violence were not addressed and that it seemed his family did not have insight into his mental state. She also referred to expert witnesses who said Bauermeister is highly intelligent and there is a possibility of rehabilitation. Smith stressed that rehabilitation is paramount to the court. She also said it is of the utmost importance that Bauermeister finishes his schooling and undergoes intensive psychotherapy to address his psychological and psychosocial problems.

According to Smith, other reasons for the sentence being appropriate are the impact the events have had on his family and especially his sister, the seriousness of the offence and that it is in the best interest of society.

“Rehabilitation can not be forced upon you. You have to choose to participate, to take it to heart and if you do not cooperate there is nothing the court can do. You have to realise what you have done wrong,” Smith told the 18-year-old.

After the proceedings a visibly relieved Morné Bauermeister, Pierre’s father, said he is happy that the sentence is fair. “Pierre is not a bad boy. He never drank or did drugs. He just became withdrawn and suffered from depression. He is so young and he just made a mistake,” he said.

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