Hugh Poate had just laid down to sleep on Christmas Eve when he received the call to learn the man who had killed his soldier son in an insider attack had been sentenced to death.
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"It came from a liaison officer from the ADF [Australian Defence Force] who we know," Mr Poate said.
"We didn't know there was a trial in progress."
The father of Canberra-raised Private Robert Poate said the news, delivered at 10.50pm, was a comfort as the family prepared to mark the second Christmas without their son and brother.
"Christmases are a painful time for us because we don't have Robert with us any more to enjoy that very special time of the year, and on this occasion this news probably was of some assistance to us," Mr Poate said. "The news helped ease the
pain of not having him with us.'' Mr Poate said the reports on Boxing Day that Afghan National Army sergeant Hekmatullah had been tried in the capital Kabul on Christmas Eve were correct.
News Corp - through freelance Kabul-based journalist Jeremy Kelly - reported it was understood Hekmatullah was convicted at a court hearing held at a base of the Afghan spy agency, the National Directorate of Security.
A Defence spokesperson said it was aware of the reports that Hekmatullah's trial had concluded and had now moved to appeal, but did not confirm them on Thursday. ''Defence has sought and is awaiting confirmation from the relevant Afghan authorities,'' the spokesperson said.
Hekmatullah was charged with three counts of murder after his insider attack on August 29 last year which fatally wounded Lance Corporal Stjepan Milosevic, 40, Private Poate, 23, and Sapper James Martin, 21.
The ''green on blue'' attack also wounded two others and came as the Australian forces were relaxing at a patrol base north of the main Australian base at Tarin Kowt.
Mr Poate said the family repeated last year's action of leaving a vacant spot at the table for Christmas lunch where Robert would normally have sat. ''[The sentencing] is another step towards closure I suppose.''
