Resentful dad who stabbed his ex-wife to death on Christmas Day after she refused to let him see their son learns his fate – as family say they will ‘hate him forever’

A resentful and angry father who brutally stabbed his ex-wife to death on Christmas Day has been sentenced to a maximum of 26 years in prison.

Darren Mark Wake used a folding knife he bought online to stab 52-year-old midwife Rachel Wake 17 times at her Hobart home in 2021.

Wake went to the house with the intention of attacking Mrs. Wake if she prevented him from seeing their son, who was inside.

Their daughter Romany was parked outside after driving her father to the house. He said he wanted to give her a present and a hug.

Mrs Wake told her ex-husband to leave immediately when he tried to come in. He passed on a message from their son, saying he did not want to see him.

Their son had decided to move in with Mrs Wake earlier that year because of his father’s “angry, aggressive and emotionally manipulative behaviour”.

Justice Helen Wood told Tasmania’s Supreme Court on Wednesday that it was a brutal and vicious attack motivated by anger and resentment.

“(Ms Wake) had a right to trust that you would not harm her. She had no chance to protect herself. She was helpless,” Judge Wood said.

‘She tried to block your blows, but you continued to attack.

“You killed her in her own home, a place where she should have been safe.”

Judge Wood said Wake defended her position and was fully justified in doing so when Wake tried to enter the house against her will.

She suffered 24 stab wounds, including three to her face and neck and four to her chest – the deepest 97mm.

Some of the injuries were caused when she raised her weapons to defend herself.

“She must have realised at that moment that the intention was to use deadly force,” Judge Wood said.

“She tolerated that, knowing her son was in the house and her daughter was nearby.”

Wake, who has been in prison since the murder, was sentenced to 26 years in prison, 17 of which may be paroled.

Outside court, Wake’s 80-year-old mother, Maureen Sierink, said the loss of her daughter was devastating.

“This sentence is not long enough. It can never be long enough. It will not bring our beautiful daughter back,” she said.

Wake went to the house with the intention of attacking Mrs. Wake if she prevented him from seeing their son, who was inside.

“I will hate him forever for what he did. She was so full of color, full of sparkle and now it’s gone.”

Romany, who has spoken out publicly against domestic violence and has since been diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder, thanked those who had supported her family.

“We are finally getting justice for my mother,” she said.

Judge Wood said Wake was a devoted mother who always put her children first.

Wake, who was 60 at the time of the crime, pleaded guilty to murder in December after initially pleading not guilty.

He confessed to police on the day of the crime, but later lied to officers about certain things in an attempt to protect himself.

Judge Wood said Wake, who resigned from his job shortly before the murder, was deeply remorseful and regretful. He also had prospects for reform.

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