Jail for worker who killed council boss

A disgruntled worker who shot and killed a Victorian council boss over a workplace dispute will spend more than 20 years behind bars.

Andrew Robert Paterson wrongly believed Moira Shire Council executive Rick Devlin was orchestrating a harassment campaign against him at work before the killing in August 2021.

When a car arrived at Mr Devlin's rural property late in the evening of August 5 that year, he went outside to welcome the visitor he assumed was a family member or friend.

Paterson stood a car length away from Mr Devlin and fired two shots. One struck the victim in the head.

Mr Devlin's terrified wife rushed outside and performed CPR on her husband for half an hour while waiting for help, fearing the gunman would return and shoot her too.

The father of seven could not be saved.

Paterson, who pleaded guilty to murder, was sentenced to 26 years' prison on Friday by Victorian Supreme Court justice Jane Dixon.

He must serve 21 years before being eligible for parole.

Paterson had worked at the council for more than four years before being stood down over an unfounded theft allegation, made by a coworker, in late 2019.

He submitted a claim for workers compensation, citing workplace threats, in January 2020 and it was approved in August 2020.

Justice Dixon found Paterson had been mistreated in the workplace, but he too had breached conduct rules.

He had a history of workplace disputes over pay and conditions and had left his previous job because of ongoing difficulties.

He had a return-to-work plan due to begin August 9, 2021, but Paterson had arranged to go camping with a friend that week.

He spent the afternoon of August 5 drinking and preparing for the trip but became angry when his wife told him COVID-19 restrictions meant it couldn't go ahead.

Paterson lashed out at his wife, who fled to Shepparton. He wrote her a note wishing her "all the best" and telling her goodbye.

He drove to Shepparton and Numurkah, buying more drinks in both towns, before travelling the final 8km to Mr Devlin's property.

Although Paterson knew the council executive, the men did not have day-to-day contact and Mr Devlin was not his direct manager.

But he maintained an unshakeable belief that Mr Devlin had failed to properly manage his workplace grievance and believed he was responsible for orchestrating his removal in order for his son to get a job at the council.

"If you're running the place, the buck stops with the boss, doesn't it?" Paterson asked police after his arrest hours later.

Justice Dixon said Paterson's grievance with Mr Devlin was unfathomable and described the murder as ghastly.

Experts described Paterson as having symptoms of a persecutory type of paranoid personality disorder.

They noted while he had described his own actions as putrid, his ability to experience remorse was compromised.

Paterson's lawyer said his client's physical health had deteriorated and he was likely to die in prison.

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