A murderer responsible for the deaths of a Nowra Hill couple has successfully appealed her sentence 15 years after the decision, with a friend she made in jail funding the legal costs.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Kim Snibson recruited Stacey Lea-Caton and Andrew Wayne Flentjar to help kidnap Kathryn McKay, 44, and Greg Hosa, 56 in January 2006.
Ms McKay was suffocated and Mr Hosa was strangled, then their bodies were put in barrels and set alight in the Tomerong State Forest.
Read more: Kim Snibson the face of evil, court told
Snibson was sentenced in September 2008 to 32 years' imprisonment with a non-parole period of 24 years for the murders and aggravated kidnapping of the couple, which would have made her eligible for parole in 2030.
But she argued that sentencing judge Justice Terry Buddin had made an error when considering the significance of the standard non-parole period for murder, which was 20 years.
The Court of Criminal Appeal agreed, finding that Justice Buddin was affected by an erroneous approach to standard non-parole periods when sentencing Snibson because he applied case law that had been overruled in a High Court case.
The court quashed the original sentence and resentenced Snibson to 24 years' imprisonment for each murder and a non-parole period of 17 years, to be served cumulatively for five and a half years.
This makes Snibson eligible for parole on January 28, 2030.
In hearing the appeal the court also allowed an extension of time.
Snibson sought to appeal her sentence after it was handed down, but was initially advised by Legal Aid it had no merit and she would need to pay.
In the following years she wrote to numerous lawyers, all except one who refused her without Legal Aid funding - however, that one lawyer withdrew for health reasons.
It wasn't until November 2020 that a woman she met in prison agreed to fund her legal costs.
The Court of Criminal Appeal said it was clear Snibson had tried "from the earliest time to bring an appeal", but was unable to do so because she had no funds and Legal Aid refused to help her.
"I consider that, because error has been shown, an extension of time should be granted to bring the appeal," Justice David Davies said.
Reading this on mobile web? Download our news app. It's faster, easier to read and we'll send you alerts for breaking news as it happens. Download in the Apple Store or Google Play.
Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
