'Entitled' 89-year-old gets 18 months for spraying shots at sex worker

When Melbourne sex worker "Rica" befriended an elderly client whose wife was dying, she did so out of kindness to a lonely old man.

Rica began visiting Domenico Natale, now 89, at his home after his wife died of cancer.



But Natale formed an attachment that soon turned into stalking – waiting for Rica at the tram stop, walking her to work at Brunswick's Romantics Brothel and inundating her with texts and calls.

She told him to stop.

In July 2016, Rica took a 12-month break from the Romantics, turning off her work phone and ceasing communication with her former clients.

But when she returned to work a year later, Natale made it clear he believed Rica was his girlfriend.

Rica called off their arrangement and Natale responded angrily, showing her the money in his wallet and telling her words to the effect of: "You know what you've got to do."

He grabbed Rica and after a brief struggle during which Rica cried for help, Natale left.

He then sent Rica a series of angry text messages saying: "Remember you destroyed my f---ing life" and "I can forget you, I can't forgive you".

On July 21, 2017, Natale drove his daughter's car to the brothel and waited for Rica to arrive, removing a shotgun and firing at her from seven metres away.

Natale then threatened to shoot a colleague, too, before turning the gun on himself and shooting himself in the stomach.

"It's hard to imagine the terror Rica must have felt at that moment," Supreme Court Justice Lesley Taylor said while sentencing him on Tuesday to four-and-a-half years in jail, with a non-parole period of 18 months.

"You were acting under the view that Rica had no right to end the arrangement she had with you.

"Your conduct speaks appallingly of your sense of entitlement."

A man believed to be the son of Domenico Natale is seen pushing a cameraman after leaving the Supreme Court of Victoria on Tuesday.

Natale was initially charged with attempted murder, but pleaded guilty to stalking, reckless conduct endangering life, use of an unregistered firearm and making a threat to kill.

Justice Taylor said any sex worker had the right at any time to refuse the custom of a client.

She said Natale's aggression and "shocking, self-centred behaviour" would have sent ripples of fear throughout the sex worker community.

"Rica's decision to refuse your custom was a significant blow to your self-esteem and made you feel indignant, disrespected and betrayed."

Outside court on Tuesday a man identified as Natale's son was aggressive towards waiting media, shoving TV cameramen before being led away by a lawyer.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/vict ... 50vqx.html

Jerry Atrick wrote: ↑Thu Feb 07, 2019 7:03 pm Aussies keeping it classy.

Me too (classy I mean.) I was thinking of spraying shot glasses.

That said. Poor woman. The guy's probably got dementia.

Maybe he aussie godfather..

How do you shoot yourself in the stomach with a (presumably) full size shotgun?

clutchcargo wrote: ↑Thu Feb 07, 2019 7:18 pm Maybe he aussie godfather..

Man that's Bill Hines, legendary custom car builder.

Anchor Moy wrote: ↑Thu Feb 07, 2019 7:12 pm

Jerry Atrick wrote: ↑Thu Feb 07, 2019 7:03 pm Aussies keeping it classy.

Me too (classy I mean.) I was thinking of spraying shot glasses.

That said. Poor woman. The guy's probably got dementia.

He might have lost it in the morality stakes but looks like the ol' codger still has some man shots left in him...or, was she just holding his hand and giving him a shoulder to cry on?