Kimberley - The young Griquatown murderer was never really confronted about the three murders he committed, the Northern Cape High Court heard on Wednesday.
Prosecutor Hannes Cloete made this suggestion as he was cross-examining defence witness Dr Eon Sonnekus, a criminologist specialising in juveniles.
“One of the reasons why he can socialise so well with friends, family, and guardians is because he is not confronted on what happened on that night. Is that so?” asked Cloete.
Northern Cape Judge President Frans Kgomo was hearing evidence in the sentencing procedures of a 17-year-old youth convicted of three farm murders.
Earlier the court found the boy guilty of the murders of Griquatown farmer Deon Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christel, 43, and their daughter Marthella, 14.
They were shot dead on their farm Naauwhoek on April 6, 2012.
The boy was also found guilty on a charge of rape of the girl and lying to the police.
Sonnekus agreed on Wednesday that the boy might have had it easy, but said he doubted a confrontational approach would have been the best option.
Cloete asked: “(Does) this make it easy for him to adjust well in a positive environment where he was not confronted? You are the expert, tell us.”
Sonnekus said this was possible.
Cloete questioned testimony by Sonnekus that the boy was chivalrous towards girls and that he treated them as ladies.
He cited text BBM messages between the boy and a girl indicating abusive and strong language.
The text included messages such as why the girl was bothering him and irritating him, using Afrikaans expletives.
“These are his (the boy's) words, his thoughts, and his attitude towards a girl. It's pretty abusive, unacceptable,” submitted Cloete.
Sonnekus agreed and said it appeared the two children were having a quarrel.
He said it was difficult to explain the messages because he did not know the history of the relationship between the two children.
The trial continues.
Sapa