Terence Kelly lodges appeal over
Kelly also told police that he had tried to tie up Cleo's hands, feet and mouth using sticky tape and tried to tie her to a chair, but both failed because “she was a bit of a fighter”. The court heard on Wednesday that Kelly burned the onesie, underwear and sleeping bag that she was taken in.
Cleo Smith was missing for eighteen days and was found by police in Kelly's Carnarvon home. Kelly, who's now aged 37, confessed to the crime. In the District Court in Perth he was sentenced to 13 years and six months in jail. He must serve at least 11 years and six months before he'll be eligible for release on parole.
Terence Kelly was handed the lengthy sentence on Wednesday after admitting abducting Cleo, who was just four years old at the time, and holding her captive for 18 days. Cleo's mum, Ellie Smith, says “the anger always will be there” despite Kelly, 37, being locked up.
After his arrest, Kelly told police he "roughed Cleo up a bit a few times" and became angry when Cleo got "bossy" asking for chocolate, but claimed he didn't want to hurt her and wanted to make sure she was "comfortable". He said Cleo cried often and that he had tried unsuccessfully to tie her up.
In an interview after Cleo's disappearance, Ellie said the girl had gone to bed in the family's tent at around 8 p.m., woke up early the next morning at 1:30 a.m. asking for water, and had returned to sleep after being given water.
Her nightmare nights are the worst nights.” Smith said Kelly's motives for stealing Cleo were “disgusting” – a psychologist report had said Kelly felt euphoria for fulfilling his idealised fantasy of having a little girl he could dress up, play and be with.
Terence Kelly, 37, pleaded guilty last year to taking Cleo Smith from her family's tent in October 2021. After a huge police search, Cleo was found alive 18 days later at Kelly's house, minutes from her own home. Kelly was arrested and later admitted child stealing in a case which attracted global attention.
The sleeping bag Cleo Smith was dreaming in before she was allegedly abducted from her family's tent almost one month ago has still not been found. Close sources to the investigation have confirmed to The West Australian that despite a massive search for the red and grey sleeping bag, it is still missing.
Terence Kelly sentenced over abduction of Cleo Smith near Carnarvon in WA's outback. The man who kidnapped a four-year-old girl from her family's camping tent and kept her captive for more than a fortnight in his house turned up the radio to drown out the noise of her pleading for her mother, a Perth court has heard.
After his arrest, Kelly told police officers that Cleo had cried when left alone and he had "roughed her up a few times", including smacking her for being bossy and asking for chocolate, but he insisted that he didn't want to severely hurt her.
Parents Ellie Smith and Jake Gliddon have reportedly accepted a $2 million cheque from the Nine Network to tell their story of the events that unfolded over the course of 18 harrowing days and the efforts to find the four-year-old.
Nine's exclusive tell-all with the family of Cleo Smith was conducted over video call – a fact that's raised eyebrows with some considering the network reportedly paid $2 million for the interview.
She also disclosed the four-year-old's hair had been cut and dyed by her abductor in a detail missed by many but noticed almost immediately by her parents. She said the little girl's abduction had been 'random' with Kelly first unzipping her side of the tent before walking around to Cleo's side and snatching her.
“We are all absolutely overjoyed at the good news this morning and so happy that Cleo has been reunited with her mum and dad,” the typed statement, handed to the West Australian, read.
Cleo Smith was found in a locked home less than an hour's drive away from the campsite she vanished from.
The little girl was held captive by Terence Darrell Kelly and locked alone in a bedroom at his home for 18 days before Western Australia Police rescued her in a late night raid. Chilling new details about Cleo's kidnapping will soon be aired after Kelly was recently sentenced to 13-and-a-half years behind bars.
Ellie Smith's world stopped when her daughter was snatched as her family slept in their tent at the remote Blowholes campground in Western Australia in 2021. "She still has her sad nights, her nightmare nights," her mother said, speaking to 60 Minutes besides Cleo's stepdad, Jake Gliddon.
So besides the fact that Cleo has slept in Beth's bed (without Beth sleeping next to her), there are no other proofs that would say that they had sex. Most likely, they got drunk, went to Beth's room, got drunk more and eventually passed out.
Terence Kelly, 37, pleaded guilty to abducting the sleeping 4-year-old from a remote campsite in 2021 and holding her captive at his house for 18 days.
He ran away and ended up with foster parents near Lancaster, Pa. Their sister Cleo was also adopted by an American family.
Cleo's biological dad Daniel Staines lives with his parents 1000km south of Carnarvon. He has put up a 'Welcome Home Cleo' sign featuring a blue love heart on the front door of his Halls Head home located 77km south of.
Cleo Smith interview: Nine staff furious by more than $2 million fee paid by network for TV rights.
It's the second interview Ms Smith and Mr Gliddon have had with 60 Minutes; they were paid $2million for an interview with Brown in February 2022, about three months after Cleo was rescued. The couple refused to speak to media outside court following Kelly's sentencing.
Cleo Smith Go Fund Me page raises $75,000 of $5000 goal as mum Ellie says thanks | 7NEWS.