Bail for woman facing murder accessory sentencing
Bail has been granted to a woman convicted of being an accessory to the murder of Oamaru dairy farm worker Justin Conrad McFarlane, for doing the driving on the night he was killed.
The woman, 27-year-old Stephanie Rose McCormack, drove the four attackers to the murder scene at Pine Hill Road, near Oamaru, on a stormy night in September 2013.
She drove some of the attackers away from the scene after the murder. Others left in Mr McFarlane’s vehicle which was then set alight on a road outside Oamaru.
Four men were found guilty of the murder at the end of a nine-week trial in the Dunedin High Court last month. The Crown case was that they had gone to the farm intending to steal drugs and a motorcycle, and then fatally bashed, stomped, and tied up Mr McFarlane after entering the house where he had been asleep.
McCormick was convicted on the charge of being an accessory to the murder and all five were remanded in custody by Justice David Gendall for sentencing on February 20. The judged called for pre-sentence reports.
Since then McCormick has applied for release on bail pending sentencing and a hearing has been held in Justice Gendall’s chambers at the Christchurch Court House.
His Honour granted bail, with McCormick to reside at a specified address in Timaru and abide by a nightly curfew. She will have to come to the door if the police make a check at the address.
She is forbidden to contact directly or indirectly the men convicted of murder, and she must submit to a screening test for alcohol or drugs if required by the Probation Service or the Police.
She will also be required to attend any drug or alcohol rehabilitation meetings or courses which may be required by the Probation Service during the remand.
If she has a passport she must surrender it to the police or the court.
Category: News
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