Extreme violence marked Geoffrey McLean’s final months before alleged murder
Since the grim discovery of his remains, the public has wondered why the Andrews Farm father was allegedly repeatedly targeted with extreme violence.
Police & Courts
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Axes and improvised flamethrowers, acid and arson, dismemberment and abandonment – the final months of Geoffrey McLean’s life were marred by multiple acts of extreme violence.
Since the discovery of Mr McLean’s torso, and only his torso, in October last year, the public has wondered why the Andrews Farm father was allegedly repeatedly targeted for harm.
On Thursday, the only person to have admitted an attack on Mr McLean – one that occurred three months prior to his death – gave his version of events to the District Court.
Anthony James Lloyd, who is not charged with murder, admitted he had thrown acid over Mr McLean, burning and disfiguring him, because he was “besotted” by a woman.
That woman, he said, was his “on-off” lover of nine years, Sheree May Glastonbury – who was Mr McLean’s partner at the time, and who now stands charged with his murder.
“There was this woman, Sheree Glastonbury, who my client had known for nine years and he was besotted with her for the full nine years,” defence lawyer Jon Lyons said on Thursday.
“He had never broken it off … whenever she wanted something, he would do it.
“He cannot understand why, after living such a law-abiding life he would have done it (thrown the acid) … his life at that time was Sheree Glastonbury and whatever she wanted.”
‘HARANGUED’
Prior to August 29, 2022, Mr McLean lived at his home on Leicester Grove, Andrews Farm.
He was, the court heard, very close to his elderly mother, his sister Sonya and his 10-year-old daughter, and in a relationship with Ms Glastonbury.
On Thursday, Mr Lyons told the court Ms Glastonbury was also in a relationship with Lloyd at that time.
He said that, in January 2022, Ms Glastonbury “kept telling” Lloyd “that Mr McLean was doing despicable things to her” and had “harangued him” for assistance.
At that time, he said, his client took no action – however, police and prosecutors allege, someone else did.
In court documents, police and prosecutors allege two assailants attacked Mr McLean in his home on April 10 and 14, 2022.
It is alleged that, on the first occasion, they were armed with a bottle of liquid, and with a log-splitter axe on the second occasion.
Police and prosecutors allege Mr McLean’s suffered injuries on both occasions, with the second amounting to an attempted murder.
On May 9, Mr McLean’s car was set alight and sustained up to $30,000 damage.
That same day, Mr Lyons told the court, Lloyd made a trip to Bunnings.
“He was buying some acid in relation to some welding and Ms Glastonbury rang him at that very moment,” he said.
“When she heard what he was doing, she said he should get the acid and throw it on Mr McLean.”
Twenty-four hours later, Mr Lyons said, Lloyd did so.
“He rang Ms Glastonbury up and said he was out the front, she then messaged him and said she was going to send Mr McLean out,” he said.
“Mr McLean came out and my client threw acid at him … he didn’t mean to aim for his face, but it splashed up.”
Lloyd was arrested almost immediately but the damage was done – Mr McLean was burned badly and suffered permanent facial disfigurement.
In a victim impact statement read to the court on Thursday, Sonya McLean said her brother was left “broken” by the experience.
“We had never seen him before … he would not see us, he would not see his daughter because of what he had gone through and what his face looked like,” she said.
It would not, police and prosecutors have alleged, be the final act of violence experienced by Mr McLean.
‘VOLATILE’
They have alleged he was murdered sometime between August 17 and 20 last year, although he was last reported as being seen alive on August 19.
Mr McLean was reported missing on August 29 – less than a month later, Lloyd pleaded guilty to attacking him with acid.
Five months after Mr McLean’s torso was discovered, police arrested Ms Glastonbury and a man named Mark John Murphy.
In court, they alleged the pair had not only murdered Mr McLean but were also responsible for the attacks in April.
They further charged Ms Glastonbury with the May 9 car arson and the May 10 acid attack.
On March 21, police made two more arrests – Lynette Sexton and her partner Peter James Murphy, who is the twin brother of Mark John Murphy.
The couple were charged with assisting an offender in relation to the alleged murder of Mr McLean.
During a subsequent bail hearing, the court was told police had intercepted the Murphy brothers discussing ways to manufacture alibis.
Peter Murphy, they alleged, was recorded said he “didn’t even know” Mr McLean but “I know him very well and truly now, f---king living out in my backyard for two weeks”.
Ms Glastonbury, the Murphy brothers and Ms Sexton have yet to enter pleas to their charges and will next face court in June.
On Thursday, Mr Lyons said the relationship between Lloyd and Ms Glastonbury was “volatile” and his client claimed she had been abusive toward him at times.
He said Lloyd had not intended to damage Mr McLean’s face in the attack, but the acid had “splashed up” on impact.
“He’s now remorseful and feels extremely bad about what he did … he doesn’t think he was in his right mind … something about Ms Glastonbury got to him,” he said.
“He cannot understand why, after living such a law-abiding life he would have done it.”
Prosecutors asked the court to approach Lloyd’s explanation with caution, asking for additional time to discuss it with investigating officers.
They said evidence gathered so far supported “a pre-existing relationship” between Lloyd and Ms Glastonbury, but provided no proof she had “harangued” him.
They said they had agreed to withdraw allegations Lloyd attacked Mr McLean with a log splitter and attempted to set him on fire with an improvised flamethrower as a result of a plea-bargain deal.
However, they said those incidents still provided context to the severity of the charge that remained.
Lloyd should be jailed for his offending, they said, dubbing it one of the more serious examples of the offence.
Judge Joanne Tracy remanded Lloyd in custody for sentencing next month.
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