In a Toronto courtroom Thursday, Norbert Budai had one final likelihood to deal with the courtroom earlier than being despatched to a federal penitentiary to start out serving a life sentence with no eligibility for parole till he’s served 25 years in jail.
“I would like to apologize,” mentioned Budai by a Hungarian translator.
“I know there is no excuse for it and I cannot start again. I would like to find a way to get back to how it used to be. As time passes, I realize I cannot go back to the beginning. I think that it was an unplanned series of events.”
The 41-year-old Hungarian refugee, who got here to Canada together with his common-law spouse Henrietta Viski and the couple’s three kids in 2019, was discovered responsible final month of first-degree homicide after killing Viski, from whom he was estranged.
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He faces being deported if he completes his jail sentence and is granted parole.
On June 17, 2022, Budai broke into the Toronto Group Housing unit on Chester Le Boulevard the place Viski and the couple’s three kids lived and doused Viski with gasoline. As she ran out of the unit, Budai lit her on hearth.
Two of the couple’s three kids witnessed the assault, together with one teenage daughter who known as 911. Viski was rushed to hospital however died the following day.
Testifying in his personal defence, Budai argued he was drunk on vodka and excessive on fentanyl and by no means meant to kill his spouse, however Justice Jane Kelly rejected his proof and located him responsible of the deliberate and deliberate homicide.
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Throughout the trial, Budai, who had no mounted deal with, testified he was upset in regards to the breakup.
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“At the time of Viski’s death, he believed she was involved with someone else,” Kelly mentioned.
“Something she was wholly entitled to do. She had dyed her hair red. He associated her hair with infidelity. He admitted he was jealous and wanted to remove that hair and that is why he said he lit her on fire. Prompted by that jealousy, he went to her home, broke down the door, doused her with gasoline and lit her on fire.”
Court docket additionally heard that in 2021, Budai was charged and convicted on three counts of uttering threats and two counts of failing to adjust to a launch order. All 5 offences had been associated to Viski.
“His conduct shows that he wholly disregarded the court orders that were meant to protect Viski,” Kelly informed the courtroom. “He was on probation at the time he committed the murder.”
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Kelly mentioned Budai’s jealousy was even apparent when he set Viski on hearth. “He wrestled with her, managing to remove a clump of her red hair. A grim reminder of the reason for Mr. Budai committing a crime of stark horror … jealousy,” Kelly mentioned.
Whereas not one of the three kids selected to ship sufferer affect statements, the decide famous that it doesn’t take a lot creativeness to grasp the ache and disbelief they need to really feel after they take into account how their father murdered their mom.
Video surveillance which captured Budai lighting Viski on hearth was so horrifying to observe that Budai even testified that he didn’t wish to see it when it was performed in courtroom. Kelly recalled that Budai had testified, “I don’t want to look at the video because the knowledge of this will be with me for the rest of my life.”
Norbert Budai testifies in his personal defence.
Alexandra Newbould
Kelly reminded the courtroom that it’s simple to easily view the sufferer as deceased and lose sight of the truth that Viski was an individual who had hopes, desires and aspirations.
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“I am certain that she was loved and was a loving mother and daughter,” Kelly mentioned. “The Budai family came to Canada for a better life. In the span of a few minutes, the children lost their mother to murder and their father to a life sentence of no less than 25 years.”
The decide mentioned the extent of violence exacted on this case of intimate associate violence has additionally affected the group, particularly the place the group the place Viski lived. The act of dousing her on hearth and lighting her on hearth was witnessed by neighbours, considered one of whom tried to extinguish the flames with a backyard hose.
She additionally famous that first responders would have been affected.
“One can hear a first responder expressing horror and dismay when the 911 call was played,” Kelly informed the courtroom.
Because the decide requested Budai to face up, he appeared down on the floor as she informed him {that a} life sentence was “entirely appropriate in the circumstances.”
As well as, Budai might be added to the DNA databank, which has a lifetime weapons ban. She added that he might haven’t any communication together with his two daughters and his son, besides with prior written or oral consent from Corrections Canada.
© 2024 Ontario Chronicle, a division of Corus Leisure Inc.
