R v Stone [2020] NSWSC 1485

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Stone [2020] NSWSC 1485 Hearing dates: 28 September; 1 October 2020 Decision date: 06 October 2020 Jurisdiction: Common Law - Criminal Before: R A Hulme J Decision: Imprisonment for 23 years 4 months with a non-parole period of 17 years 6 months Catchwords: CRIME - sentencing - murder - deceased set on fire twice - second time to "finish him off" - upper range of objective seriousness - genuine remorse - discount for early guilty plea and future assistance to authorities Category: Sentence Parties: Regina Stone (a pseudonym) Representation: Counsel: Mr L Carr SC (Crown) Mr T Evers (Offender)

Solicitors: Solicitor for Public Prosecutions O'Brien Winter Partners File Number(s): 2018/257407

Judgment 1. HIS HONOUR: Mr Stone (a pseudonym) has pleaded guilty and is to be sentenced for the murder of Mr Wade Still at Whitebridge on 20 August 2018. 2. The maximum penalty for murder is imprisonment for life. There is also a standard non-parole period that, in the circumstances of this case, is 20 years.

Victim impact statements 1. Impact statements by each of Mr Still's parents were read at the sentence hearing. They each provided their personal account of the profound loss this terrible crime has caused. Words are inadequate for me to attempt to describe their emotions, which I am not sure that anyone could fully comprehend in any event. I again acknowledge the courage of Ms Lowe and Mr Still; thank them both; and reiterate my sincere condolences.