Melbourne man jailed for manslaughter after stepfather's fatal stabbing

A man who killed his stepfather during a psychotic episode has been sentenced to eight years and six months in prison, with a minimum term of five years. The Victorian Supreme Court imposed the sentence on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Mehmet Bertan, 34, fatally stabbed Tony Di Falco, 61, at the family's home in Hillside, in Melbourne's north-west, on October 4, 2024. The court described the attack as violent and sustained while also considering evidence about Bertan's serious mental illness.

Justice Rita Incerti said his mental impairment had compromised his ability to think rationally about the consequences of his conduct. Bertan maintained his guilty plea rather than pursuing a mental-impairment defence linked to his schizophrenia diagnosis.

The defence argued that a long history of inadequately treated illness had severely affected his self-control. The prosecution asked the court to take account of the seriousness of the killing and the need to protect the community. Family members described Di Falco, who had survived cancer, as central to family gatherings and someone who had been looking forward to rebuilding his life.