A man who was convicted of raping a young girl in a toilet block has died of liver cancer.
56-year-old Anthony Sampieri was sentenced to life behind bars after he reportedly bound, choked, and brutally raped a 7-year-old girl in a toilet block.
His lawyers then launched an appeal and said that he has terminal liver cancer so he should not be locked up without the possibility of parole.
According to reports, Sampieri was the first Australian pedophile to receive a life sentence without parole for raping a child.
He pleaded guilty to ten charges including three counts of sexual intercourse with a minor.
The court heard that he went to the toilet to smoke drug ice when he suddenly decided to kidnap, rape, and abuse the child in a Kogarah dance studio bathroom.
Sampieri was detained, thanks to Nicola ‘Nick’ Gilio, who found him high on ice and had just abused the child.
The rapist tried to run away from the toilet but Nick quickly detained him. However, the attacker pulled out his knife and stabbed Gilio in the abdomen, neck, and wrist.
Despite his severe injuries, Nick managed to slam the rapist’s head against the wall. Dance teacher Jeffrey Stack helped detain Sampier until police arrived.
Acting Judge Paul Conlon said during the sentencing that Sampieri “had a callous disregard” for the child and that “there will be lifelong consequences for her to deal with.”
“It is a parent’s worst nightmare,” he added.
Over two years after the incident, Nick was given the Stanhope Gold Medal award at NSW Parliament House for his amazing efforts.
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Replaced!