The husband of a Victorian dad who was stabbed to death by a teenager as he walked the dog has taken aim at the justice system in an emotional court victim impact statement. Paul Grapsas, 40, decided to take his dog for a late-night walk from his home in central Geelong, south-west of Melbourne, in September 2023, but unfortunately, he never returned. Bailey Clifford, 20, from Belmont in Geelong, appeared in the Supreme Court of Victoria on Monday where he pleaded guilty to Mr. Grapsas’s manslaughter. The knife-wielding thug had managed to avoid a murder trial after being offered a plea deal by Victorian Director of the Office of Public Prosecutions Brendan Kissane, KC. He also pleaded guilty to two counts of theft between September 14 and 15, 2023. The deal was made despite the court hearing Mr. Grapsas, a business analyst, died from seven stab wounds, with the fatal blow being one of three stabs to his back.
Heartbroken widow Jessica, who was pregnant at the time, found her husband’s body in the street near her home after she went out to search for him when their dog returned without him. Bailey Clifford, 20, of Belmont was originally charged with murder. He had stabbed his victim seven times, including three in the back which proved fatal. On Monday, Mrs. Grapsas slammed the plea deal that saw her husband’s killer escape what could have been a life sentence for murder. ‘I have agonised over the journey of the justice system,’ she said. ‘I’ve felt betrayal as the system allows, and the tactics that can be used, to the benefit of the accused.’ She expressed her frustration with the system, feeling pressured to succumb to the wishes of the criminal for fear of not finding justice for Paul at all.
The decision made by the justice system deeply affected Mrs. Grapsas, leaving her broken and questioning the fairness of it all. ‘I am broken,’ she said. ‘I’ve lost my faith and trust in justice when decisions can be made about your future without all of the information about you at hand.’ The last week leading up to Monday’s plea hearing tormented her further, adding to the emotional turmoil she was already experiencing. She expressed her disbelief that her husband’s killer would receive a significant discount on his sentence due to his guilty pleas and age. Bailey Clifford, the convicted thug, should never have been free to commit such a heinous act, but the plea deal ensured that justice would never truly be served.
The court heard that Mr. Grapsas had found Clifford robbing his car when he intervened. Clifford later claimed he had killed the kind-hearted church goer in self-defense, stating that Mr. Grapsas had threatened to kill him and had thrown punches at him. Word of Clifford’s past offending had circulated on social media, with many expressing outrage at the state’s justice system for allowing such a tragedy to occur. Despite his criminal behavior leading up to the crime, Clifford’s remorse was deemed ‘true’ by his barrister. The plea hearing continues as Clifford awaits sentencing for Mr. Grapsas’s death.
The tragic loss of Paul Grapsas has left a family shattered and robbed of precious memories. Mrs. Grapsas’s emotional victim impact statement in court painted a heartbreaking picture of the future her children would never have with their father. Clifford’s actions have forever altered the lives of those left behind, with the justice system’s leniency casting doubt on the concept of true justice. As the plea hearing unfolds, the devastating impact of Bailey Clifford’s choices continues to reverberate through the lives of those affected by his senseless act of violence.
