Gayle Woodford murder: Court of Criminal Appeal rejects Dudley Davey’s challenge to 32-year minimum term
GAYLE Woodford’s murderer has failed to have his jail term reduced — and the outback nurse’s husband says he can finally move forward, and carry on her legacy.
- Minimum 32 years for Gayle Woodford’s murderer
- ‘Why was my wife’s killer allowed to roam free?’
- A husband’s grief, torment and pain
GAYLE Woodford’s murderer has failed to have his jail term reduced — and the Outback nurse’s husband says he can finally move forward, and carry on her legacy.
Outside the Court of Criminal Appeal on Thursday, Keith Woodford fought back tears as his family’s 20-month legal ordeal came to a close at last.
In a unanimous decision, the court rejected Dudley Davey’s claim that he had been punished too harshly — and deserved more of a sentencing discount — and ordered his 32-year term stand.
Mr Woodford said the decision, while welcome, left him feeling “numb”.
“I was expecting the worst and I got the best ... I didn’t think it was going to go our way,” he said.
“This helps, definitely — we’ve just got to get on with Gayle’s Law now.”
In March 2016, and while on a three-day ice bender, Davey abducted Mrs Woodford from her home in Fregon, in the APY Lands, and stole her bush ambulance.
He raped and murdered her, then left her body in a crudely-dug grave covered with branches.
Davey pleaded guilty and was jailed for life with a 32-year non-parole period — a term he claimed, on appeal, should have been reduced on account of his confession.
In their judgment on Thursday, Chief Justice Chris Kourakis and Justices Tim Stanley and Martin Hinton agreed Davey’s sentence was appropriate.
They said state law provided for sentencing discounts of up to 40 per cent for guilty pleas, but any reduction of a non-parole period was “discretionary” on the part of a sentencing judge.
They also said a “substantial” non-parole period was needed in Davey’s case both to deter him and others from similar offending — and to protect the community from him.
Outside court, Mr Woodford said he would now focus on getting Gayle’s Law — which would make it illegal for rural or remote nurses to attend call-outs alone — enacted.