Kelly Ellard, who was convicted of second-degree murder in the 1997 beating and drowning death of 14-year-old Reena Virk in Victoria, has been sentenced to life in prison, meaning she must serve at least seven years before being eligible for parole.

Because Ellard was 15 when Virk was murdered, she faced a minimum five years before she would be eligible for parole.

Crown prosecutor Catherine Murray had argued that Ellard, now 22, deserved seven years, the maximum time behind bars before being eligible for parole.

Kelly Ellard
Kelly Ellard

Murray said the murder was beyond the norm because of its callousness and brutality, adding absolutely nothing positive has come from Ellard in the 7½ years since she murdered Virk.

Ellard was convicted of murder after facing three trials for the same crime. In the first trial, five years ago, she was found guilty but the verdict was overturned on appeal. The second trial, in mid-2004, ended in a hung jury.

An autopsy revealed Virk had severe bruising over her entire skull, forehead and cheeks. She also suffered bruising on her pelvis, stomach, liver and pancreas.

Reena Virk
Reena Virk

Court heard that Virk was first beaten by a group of teenagers under the Craigflower Bridge and then followed across the bridge by Warren Glowatski and Ellard where she was attacked again, dragged to the water and drowned by Ellard.

In 1999, Glowatski was convicted of second-degree murder in Virk's death. Six other young people have also been convicted of assault.

Glowatski testified Ellard dragged Virk to the water and then held her head underwater until she drowned. He also admitted in court that he has lied in the past about the case, but maintains he told the truth about Ellard's role in killing Virk.

Glowatski's statement was further supported by Jodene Rogers, a former friend of Ellard's, who testified Ellard joked about how she kicked Virk into the water and then held her head in the water with her foot.

Other witnesses said that in the days that followed the death, Ellard bragged about "finishing off" a girl and boasted that she broke Virk's arms and jumped on her neck.