Pair plead guilty to the manslaughter of Timothy Pullen

FORMER Mackay couple Nicholas Voorwinden and Kiera Jeanette McKay discovered the ground floor of their unit and their lounge covered in blood.

Timothy Pullen.

FORMER Mackay couple Nicholas Voorwinden and Kiera Jeanette McKay discovered the ground floor of their unit and their lounge covered in blood when they came downstairs.

The pair, who are no longer in a relationship, pleaded guilty to manslaughter over their role in the murder of Timothy Pullen who the Crown allege was killed in their unit.

They appeared together in the dock of the Supreme Court at Mackay today.

Mr Pullen went missing in April 2012.

After an 18-month police investigation five people, including Voorwinden and McKay, were arrested over Mr Pullen's disappearance and suspected death.

The court was told the pair had organised to leave a door of their Valley St unit unlocked to allow associates of Mr Pullen to gain access to him while he was asleep on a lounge.

While the pair were a party to abduction plans and knew some violence would likely occur, they did not know he was to be killed over a $30,000 drug debt, the court heard.

Both were heavy drug users at the time and Voorwinden was "paranoid" as a result of his drug use, the court was told.

McKay's barrister said she was terribly sorry for what had happened as she hardly knew Mr Pullen.

Justice David North took into account that McKay was pregnant and has ongoing medical issues.

The pair were each jailed for five years.

Voorwinden will serve 15 months jail before being released on a partially suspended sentence. While McKay will serve nine months.

More details in the Tuesday edition of the Daily Mercury.

Originally published as Pair plead guilty to the manslaughter of Timothy Pullen