Accused child killer opposing jury trial
Monday Jul 2 12:55 AEST
A man accused of raping and murdering an eight-year-old girl in a Perth shopping centre toilet will seek to be tried by a judge alone.

The naked body of Sofia Rodriguez-Urrutia-Shu was found on the floor of a toilet cubicle at Livingston Market Shopping Centre in east suburban Canning Vale on June 26, 2006.

Her accused killer, Dante Wyndham Arthurs, 21, has pleaded not guilty to the crime in the West Australian Supreme Court.

During his appearance in the court, via video link from prison, July 31 was set as the date his lawyers will argue for him to be tried by a judge alone.




Prosecutors say they will oppose the application.

Dates for a two-day directions hearing in September, and Arthurs' trial in October, have yet to be set.

Arthurs was remanded in custody until July 31.

That was the most terrible murder and to think the brother was waiting outside the toilets keeping an eye on his little sister.

There was a lot of controversy at the time - they suspected it was one of the two boys who murdered that little boy in England - sent to Australia to seek anonymity.  We've heard nothing more about it - the Federal Government no doubt has had it hushed up as a favour to Blair.