Man jailed for killing second lover in sex game

A man who murdered his lover during a sex game has been jailed for at least 22 years.

The South Australian Supreme Court heard David Richard Fraser murdered Luke Noonan at an Adelaide flat in 2009 during erotic asphyxiation.

Fraser tied a belt around the victim's neck and had kept it there when Mr Noonan passed out.

At the time of the offence, Fraser was on parole for manslaughter because he had strangled another lover with a shoelace during sex, four years earlier.

In sentencing, Justice Margaret Nyland said Mr Noonan's murder could have been avoided.

"Obviously he did not deserve to die in such a terrible and meaningless way," she said.

"It is clear his death has had a significant impact on all of his family.

"This is not something that occurred in the spur of the moment, you must have continued for some moments."

Justice Nyland said Fraser panicked when he eventually realised Mr Noonan was dead and had deprived him of any last chance of survival by failing to ring for an ambulance.

Mr Noonan's sister earlier described her brother as a gentle but lost soul who was supported and loved by his family.

'Wrong place at the wrong time'

Outside court, the victim's father Mick Noonan paid tribute to his son.

"Luke was a very loving fellow, he was family orientated. It's just unfortunate that over a number of years he was always in the wrong place at the wrong time," he said.

"He received the best help that he could possibly receive from all concerned, but in the end it just wasn't enough.

"I'm just pleased this matter, after 21 months, has reached a conclusion and we can now get on with the rest of our lives hopefully."

He hoped the killer would remain behind bars.

"[Fraser] is going to be more than 60 when he gets the chance to be released and hopefully that will never happen anyway," he said.

"We will always remember Luke in a positive way. The events of the last few months will not affect how we think of Luke. We will always love him as our son that he was.

"Luke's family would very much like to take this opportunity thank our close friends for the support given to us during the last 21 or so months and to thank the police and the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions) for their dedication in bringing this matter to a just and deserved conclusion."

Mick Noonan said he was glad the saga was finally over.

"I'm just pleased this matter, after 21 months, has reached a conclusion and we can now get on with the rest of our lives hopefully," he said.

Fraser was given the mandatory head sentence of life in jail.
The government of the day will have the final say about whether he is granted parole when he is eligible to apply for release in 2033.



Man jailed for killing second lover in sex game