Paul Anthony Cannon jailed for life after murdering ex-wife Lynn Cannon in Landsdale, Perth

A man who murdered his estranged ex-wife at his home in Perth’s northern suburbs has been branded a ‘coward’ by his victim’s family.

Paul Anthony Cannon, 55, was sentenced Friday by the Western Australian Supreme Court to life in prison for the stabbing murder of Lynn Cannon, 51, last December.

Cannon also received a 19-year non-parole period.

When the verdict was handed down by Judge Anthony Derrick, Ms. Cannon’s family and supporters erupted in applause in the public gallery.

Among them was Ms. Cannon’s sister, Jacqueline Darley, who read her victim impact statement to the court during the sentencing submission.

At one point she stopped and yelled at Mr. Cannon, “Look at me, coward.”

He sat on the dock with his head in his hands, refusing to meet her gaze.

The court was told Mr Cannon used two kitchen knives to repeatedly stab his former partner to death at his home on Hardcastle Ave in Landsdale.

Prosecutor David Lima described the attack as “particularly brutal.”

“This murder was caused by festering and burgeoning possessiveness, anger, jealousy and selfishness,” Lima said.

“This murder was particularly brutal, using a kitchen knife of all weapons to stab the victim not once, not twice, but repeatedly seven times in the chest.

“All while repeatedly shouting, ‘I told you I was going to kill you’.”

The court heard that Mr Cannon had previously told his landlord that he would kill Mrs Cannon with the swords he owned, sending her abusive text messages saying things like that he “hoped and prayed she was dead” and that she “died painfully.”

When the verdict was handed down by Judge Anthony Derrick, Ms. Cannon’s family and supporters erupted in applause in the public gallery (pictured is Lynn Cannon)

On the day of the murder, Mr. Cannon and his former partner got into an argument, prompting neighbors to call the police

On the day of the murder, Mr. Cannon and his former partner got into an argument, prompting neighbors to call the police.

Mr. Cannon’s landlord allegedly found Mr. Cannon stabbing Lynn Cannon, shouting repeatedly, “I told you I was going to kill you.”

In his sentencing on Friday, Judge Derrick described the attack as “protracted and brutal.”

Ms. Darley’s victim impact statement detailed the death of Ms. Cannon, who had divorced Mr. Cannon two years earlier.

“I got a video call from my sister Jennie who uttered the devastating words, ‘Paul stabbed Lynn, he took her from us,’ Ms Darley told the court.

“I screamed, ‘No, no, no,’ my head was spinning and I couldn’t contain it.

Please tell me she was hurt, or whatever, but not that she was gone.

Lynn Cannon (far right) was stabbed seven times by her ex-husband on the day she died, the couple had split two years before the horrific incident

“I looked at her face, her pain and desolation … I could hear my mother sobbing in the background, ‘my baby, my baby.’

Mr. Cannon’s attorney argued that, other than traffic violations, his client had no prior convictions and no history of physical assault against Ms.

Cannon.

He tried to argue that this should be a mitigating factor in sentencing, but this was rejected by Judge Derrick.

Ms Cannon’s death sparked talks about domestic violence, culminating in August in talks between the WA government, WA police and domestic violence advocacy groups in Perth.

The incident also prompted a police investigation into response times, after it was revealed that it took officers an hour and 15 minutes to respond to triple-zero calls made in response to the murder.

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, help is available 24/7 by calling 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).