Wife of slain jeweller ‘in fear of her life’

The wife of an Irish jeweller stabbed to death in their Melbourne jewellery store last year has told how she cannot now sleep in her own bed out of fear but must rest in a chair downstairs where she feels she would be able to escape an attacker more easily.

Bridget O’Toole was also stabbed a number of times by Gavin Perry, the man who killed her husband of more than 40 years Dermot during a botched robbery.

Perry, who was high on crystal meth at the time of the killing, was yesterday sentenced to 27 years in prison. He will spend at least 23 years behind bars.