Cape Town - A Grabouw man has been sentenced to 30 years behind bars for murdering and assaulting and raping his neighbour with a wooden stick.
The rape took place in front of her 17-year-old daughter.
Ian October, 44, admitted in a plea and sentence agreement that the beating and rapes also occurred in the presence of his daughter, 14, and her friend, 15.
The girls got together when October invited Eunice Elizabeth Steyn to visit him on the evening of January 6.
In the agreement before Western Cape High Court Judge President John Hlophe, October said he had invited Steyn, who also lived on Molteno Farm, to drink at his house that night.
October said he later assaulted Steyn, 41, by bashing her head against the wall, and beat her with the stick.
He tied up Steyn’s legs and arms and raped her with the stick. Afterwards he cleaned up the blood, dressed Steyn and dragged her outside. Steyn was declared dead about 11am the next day.
October was arrested on January 9 and has been in custody since.
On Monday, he pleaded guilty to assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, three counts of rape, and murder.
“[October] admits he had the intention to cause [Steyn’s] death,” the plea agreement reads.
He said that despite being under the influence of alcohol, he was aware of his actions and wanted to plead guilty as he was sorry for what he did.
October was sentenced to 15 years for each count of rape, one year for assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and 30 years for murder. The rape and assault sentences are to run concurrently with the murder.
Cape Argus