Hilary van Rooyen's family distraught as killer gets 10 years
Reghard Groenewald was convicted of murdering Hilary van Rooyen. Supplied Reghard Groenewald was convicted of murdering Hilary van Rooyen. Supplied
Cape Town - “He was mature enough to hit her, he hit her so hard her brain haemorrhaged, he fractured her eye socket and he only got 10 years; anyway these are just the feelings of a mother,” said Lilian Fielden the mother of Hilary van Rooyen.
Speaking to Weekend Argus after Reghard Groenewald was handed a 10-year sentence for murder and theft, Fielden said she was utterly disappointed that he got less than the minimum prescribed sentence for murder.
Judge Derek Wille sentenced Groenewald to one year on count one for theft and 10 years for count two of murder at the Western Cape High Court on Thursday. The sentences will run concurrently.
Groenewald walked into court with a grey camouflage shirt with blue jeans and sneakers. As the judge was reading out sentencing, he took a few deep breaths while nervously flexing his jaw.
Family and friends of Van Rooyen’s family packed the court’s gallery and made their way down to console the family.
Lilian Fielden, the mother of Hilary van Rooyen, with a poster of her daughter.
Hilary van Rooyen, who was murdered in May 2017. “My phone has not stopped ringing since; family and friends from the UK and here are all horrified with the sentence given to him. All those people you saw have been so supportive. She was loved. I lost my daughter but I have also gained. They have been so brilliant,” said Fielden.
The deceased’s body was found in a pool of blood at her home on May 9, 2017.
In his not-guilty plea, Groenewald said he had struck her with the closest thing he could find - a vase - after she allegedly made “sexual advances” towards him. She had allegedly also threatened that she would tell friends and family that he tried to assault and rape her.
The judge said in his judgment that he found that it would do more harm than good to pronounce on any finding on what precisely occurred prior to the attack upon the deceased.
Fielden, who was visibly disappointed after sentencing, unrolled a poster of her daughter, saying she had deserved more.
During sentencing, Van Rooyen’s husband, Derek, shook his head in disappointment while his eldest son Dean was also distraught.
Fielden said it broke her heart seeing her grandson so upset in court and described her daughter as her best friend and a superb woman.
“This sentence is really unacceptable and in Women’s Month too. I am disappointed in South African law. The crime against women in this country is atrocious,” said Fielden.
Derek declined to comment, but during his victim impact statement he told the court he felt angry and hated Groenewald with every fibre of his being and would never be able to forgive him.
“Identifying my wife’s body and seeing her damaged face in the mortuary has been one of the horrific pictures I’ve ever experienced.
“Until today, that picture is printed in my head and impossible to get out of my mind. The accused showed no remorse,” said Derek.
Dean said he could never forgive Groenewald because his mother wouldn’t be able to see his kids one day, see him get married or be there for milestones because he took that away. “My mother gave so much good to the world. I fear for the world if he is out. I can’t forgive you.”
In pronouncing sentence Judge Wille said the family of the deceased “are angry and request a harsh sentence be imposed. For them (the family of the deceased, regrettably forgiveness is not an option”.
“I also have to be mindful of the fact that there exists a good prospect that the offender may become reformed and may be rehabilitated. This opportunity, I cannot legally deny him of even if the family of the deceased do not think him deserving of this opportunity. These are all substantial and compelling circumstances that legally justify deviation from the prescribed minimum sentencing,” read the sentence.