Depot Hill’s Arthur James Spencer jailed for manslaughter of Edward Bashford
A Queensland man who bashed his mate of 10 years to death over unpaid rent has been given immediate parole for manslaughter. His defence argued the severe bashing was not out of an intent to kill.
Police & Courts
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A Central Queensland man has been granted immediate parole eligibility after killing his mate of 10 years over unpaid rent in a vicious attack that left his face ‘pulverised’.
Arthur James Spencer, 32, assaulted Edward Bashford, 56, twice in two days with the injuries leading to Mr Bashford’s death.
Justice Graeme Crow said it was “shocking” Spencer’s fatal assault on a “physically inferior” man was over a $300 debt for three weeks of unpaid board.
Spencer, who is 180cm tall and weighed 151kg at the time of the assault, admitted to police that he punched Mr Bashford in the face twice and elbowed his ear on April 15, 2019.
Mr Bashford, an alcoholic, weighed only 40.4 kgs at his autopsy and died from swelling and blood in the brain.
Spencer was sentenced after pleading guilty in the Supreme Court in Rockhampton on March 3 to manslaughter – a charge which in Queensland carries a maximum penalty of imprisonment for life.
Justice Crow said he was sentenced on the basis there was a second assault due to the injuries uncovered during the autopsy.
When describing Mr Bashford’s injuries, Justice Crow said “his face on either side was pulverised” with “multiple fractures which required a great deal of force according to medical evidence, although the force to cause the brain injury was only moderate”.
He said the deceased suffered a medical condition due to his alcoholism.
“It seems he (Mr Bashford) was in a delicate state,” Justice Crow said.
The background to the assaults involved Spencer having moved into the Depot Hill residence in 2016, and forming a relationship with the woman living upstairs.
He later arranged for Mr Bashford to move in downstairs for $100 a week board including rent, food and second-hand clothing.
The men had met 10 years prior at a diversionary centre and had occasionally bumped into each other on the street.
A story published in The Morning Bulletin following Mr Bashford’s death indicated he only moved into the Campbell Street, Depot Hill, weeks before his death.
Mr Bashford had been sighted in the weeks leading up to his death walking around Rockhampton in clean, fancier clothing and looking well-groomed, according to friends and family who spoke to the Bulletin in 2019.
His brother Kevin recalled that even as a young boy, Eddie was a loner and in his older years didn’t seek out or desire help from others.
Others described the former commercial fisherman as displaying signs of early onset dementia, but said he was ‘a kind and gentle man’.
He visited Rockhampton for surgery and decided to stay, but he was homeless and spent a lot of time wandering the streets.
The day before his death, Spencer walked with Mr Bashford to the Bank of Queensland in Rockhampton’s CBD – Centrelink payday – to get the unpaid board, the court heard.
CCTV and bank staff eyewitness accounts revealed this was a usual occurrence and on this day, Mr Bashford first appeared about 12.40pm walking past the bank while Spencer waited on a corner nearby.
Spencer chased after Mr Bashford and there was an exchange between the pair before Mr Bashford walked into the bank, with a scratch on his forehead.
Justice Crow said after bank staff informed Mr Bashford he did have money in his account, he repeatedly said he “didn’t have money” before leaving the bank and telling Spencer he didn’t get paid.
The men walked back home where Spencer confronted Mr Bashford, punched him twice and elbowed him once.
The female at the residence told Spencer to leave Mr Bashford alone and when she checked on the older man, he had a swollen right eye and a black left eye, the court heard.
Mr Bashford was seen later that day, about 2.20pm, exiting a vehicle parked on the southwest corner of Bolsover Street and walking into the bank.
CCTV showed Mr Bashford’s visible injuries including a bleeding wound on his right arm.
Justice Crow said bank staff offered to call an ambulance after noticing him “being out of it”.
“However, Mr Bashford kept saying ‘so I don’t have any money’,” Justice Crow said.
The court heard he left the bank and was followed by a vehicle a short distance before Spencer got out, and confronted Mr Bashford while he continued walking towards the Fitzroy Riverbank.
He later arrived home and sometime between 2.20pm on April 15 and 9.55pm on April 16, was further assaulted.
Spencer found Mr Bashford in his room unresponsive and performed CPR while an ambulance was called. He was declared dead at10.28pm.
Defence barrister Scott Moon said his client had wanted to apologise to Mr Bashford’s family, but his brother had since died.
“This wasn’t borne out of intent to kill,” he said.
“It was borne out of frustration.”
The court heard Spencer started using marijuana when he was 12 and moved on to injecting “multiple” drugs about 13 or 14 after his mother died, but had not used drugs for some time before the assault.
She had relinquished care due to behaviour issues but they had seen each other about two weeks prior to her death and argued.
Spencer has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression and sleeping issues.
Justice Crow sentenced Spencer to nine years in prison and declared 1409 days presentence custody as time already served with immediate parole eligibility.
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