Manslaughter convicted Joshua Don Francis Wales pleads guilty to meth supply, possession

A convicted killer, who was jailed for his role in a violent home invasion that resulted in the death of a man with a samurai sword, is back behind bars after a relapse resulting from a shocking eye disease.

Tyrone (Tubby) Michael Baynton was killed on October 11, 2015 at North Mackay.

A convicted killer, who was jailed for his role in a violent home invasion that resulted in the death of a man with a samurai sword, is back behind bars.

His spiralled back into drugs after his good work on parole came undone when he was diagnosed with a degenerative eye disease.

It is only a matter of time before Joshua Don Francis Wales went blind – he had already lost his peripheral vision, a scary scenario as he sat in prison, a court heard.

The now 33 year old has a “deplorable” criminal history that includes the unlawful carnal knowledge of a child, stalking a woman by posting naked photos of her on social media and the manslaughter of 29-year-old Tyrone Baynton in 2015.

He had been with two others, and all were hyped up on meth, marijuana and booze, when they went to Mr Baynton’s North Mackay unit about 6pm on October 11 with a plot to steal cash from an alleged drug dealer.

Wales, aged 24, had been armed with a pool cue and a co-offender, Mala Owen Geissler a samurai sword, when he knocked on the door, which was briefly opened and slammed shut upon seeing the trio.

As the trio were trying to force their way into the unit Geissler thrust the sword through the closed door at neck height unaware Mr Baynton was leaning against it from the inside to hold it shut.

The sword was believed to be used in the death of Tyrone Michael Baynton on October 11, 2015. Photo: Emily Smith / The Daily Mercury.

The weapon pierced through the door and into his neck, slashing the carotid artery, windpipe and 17cm into his lung before Geissler pulled it back out.

Wales also entered the home with Geissler and the pair stole a small amount of marijuana.

In 2018 Geissler was acquitted of murder but found guilty of manslaughter at trial and was jailed for 12.5 years, meaning he must serve at least 9.5 years before he is eligible for parole.

That same year Wales, then 27, pleaded guilty to manslaughter over his role in the fatal home invasion and was jailed for nine years, he was initially declared a serious violent offender meaning he would have to serve 80 per cent of the term but in 2019 that was overturned on appeal and he was later released on parole after serving half his time.

Mackay Supreme Court on Friday heard Wales had been performing well and taking some positive steps while on parole – until he received a “devastating” diagnosis that sent him back into drug use.

An earlier photo of Joshua Don Francis Wales who was jailed for nine years for the manslaughter of Tyrone (Tubby) Michael Baynton.

In September 2023 he was caught with a large amount of meth – deemed to be for both commercial and personal use, messages on his phone showing he had sold the drug four times including one amount of five grams, $2505 in cash, and various drug paraphernalia.

The court heard when police arrested him he was found with a large bag of meth stashed down his pants.

The quality of the all meth ranged between 72.5 and 76.8 per cent purity.

His parole was cancelled and he was returned.

Defence barrister Scott McLennan said his client’s good work had been undone when “he received what is a devastating diagnosis that he has this condition retinitis pigmentosa”.

It is understood to be a hereditary disease, already suffered by some of his family members.

“How frightening it is to be in prison and not being able to see what’s happening with your peripheral vision,” Mr McLennan said.

Justice David North agreed Wales had an “appalling” criminal history spanning more than six pages with entries including “sexual offending and a manslaughter conviction”, but accepted the diagnosis played a role in his latest offending and was considered a “hardship” that would apply.

“There is of course the overwhelming circumstances of your bad history that cannot be overlooked,” Justice North said.

Wales has spent 413 days in custody. He was jailed for two years with immediate parole eligibility.

Convictions were recorded.