A father-of-three who strapped a fake bomb to the neck of an Australian millionaire's teenage daughter in an apparent extortion bid has been jailed for 13-and-a-half years.
Paul Douglas Peters attached a hoax bomb to Sydney schoolgirl Madeleine Pulver's neck for 10 hours in August 2011.
The former investment banker admitted the charges in March 2012 and was sentenced at the New South Wales State District Court to 13 years and six months. He will not be eligible for parole for 10 years.
Madeleine Pulver made a statement to the media outside the New South Wales State District Court
Peters, who claimed he was depressed and confused reality with a fictitious book he was writing, was told he put Pulver, 18, through "unimaginable" terror.
Prosecutors said he had attached the 'bomb' to the teen as an extortion bid and was actually targeting someone living next door to the Pulvers.
Judge Peter Zahra said: "I'm not prepared to accept that the offending was the product of being in a psychotic state."
Speaking outside court, Madeleine Pulver said she was sitll coming to terms with her ordeal. "I realise it will take quite some time to come to terms with what happened. But today was important because now the legal process is over.
"For me it was never about the sentencing, but to know that he will not re-offend and it was good to hear the judge acknowledge the trauma he has put my family and me through," she said.
"It's been a surprise to me that this year has been much harder than last year but I’m lucky enough to have family and friends and we are all making great progress."
Her father Bill said his family could now move on, saying: "its been a difficult 16 months but I think it's behind us."
According to police documents Peters began the ordeal by walking into the home of Madeleine in August 2010, clad in a balaclava and told the teen he was not going to harm her, saying: "Sit down and no one needs to get hurt."
It took police 10 hours to realise the device was a hoax.
