Trial
At the trial, commencing 28 March 1990, John Wayne Glover pleaded not guilty to his crimes on the grounds of diminished responsibility. A psychiatrist said Glover had built up hostility and aggression since his childhood against his mother and then against his mother-in-law, who was said to "trigger" him. When she died, he had to take out his aggression on someone else. The psychiatrist who studied the case also added that this was a very unusual case because there are very few serial killers, and most of them are mentally ill, and/or have an organic disease of the brain; Glover was sane at the time of the murders.
The Crown prosecutor maintained that Glover was well aware of his actions. When he killed, he was also planning what to do with the victim’s money, and also took time to clean the hammer with acid. Glover was impotent and had no interest in sex. So tying the pantyhose so tightly around his victim’s neck was to make sure they were dead, at the same time trying to trick the police into thinking that this was the work of a sexually-motivated killer.
Glover was addicted to poker machines, and the easiest way for him to get more money was to steal. After the guilty verdict was delivered, Justice Wood stated that he was dealing with an extremely dangerous prisoner:
| “ | He is able to choose when to attack and when to stay his hand. He is cunning and able to cover his tracks. It is plain that he has chosen his moments carefully. Although the crimes have been opportunistic, he has not gone in where the risks were overwhelming.
The period since January 1989 has been one of intense and serious crime involving extreme violence inflicted on elderly women, accompanied by theft or robbery of their property. On any view, the prisoner has shown himself to be an exceedingly dangerous person and that view was mirrored by the opinions of the psychiatrists who gave evidence at his trial. I have no alternative other than to impose the maximum available sentence, which means that the prisoner will be required to spend the remainder of his natural life in jail. It is inappropriate to impose any minimum term to be served before release on parole. Having regard to those life sentences, this is not a case where the prisoner may ever be released pursuant to any order of this court. He is never to be released. |
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