Murderer Craig Rumsby sentenced to 32 years behind bars for the murder of teenager Michelle Bright
The family of a 17-year-old girl brutally murdered in the state’s west have cheered as her murderer was finally brought to justice – with Craig Rumsby sentenced to a lengthy stint behind bars.
Dubbo News
Don't miss out on the headlines from Dubbo News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A cold hearted killer – who evaded justice for 24 years for the murder of a teenage girl in the state’s west – has been sentenced to 32 years behind bars for his crimes, with the victim’s brother saying he wishes he “rots in hell”.
Craig Henry Rumsby was sentenced on Monday after he was found guilty in the Supreme Court in Dubbo after a nine-week-long trial in June for the murder of then-17-year-old Michelle Bright.
A Supreme Court jury also found him guilty of the attempted rape of a second teenage girl in 1998.
Acting Justice Robert Allan Hulme handed Rumsby 32 years behind bars for both crimes, with a non parole period of 24 years.
Rumsby, who sat silent in the courtroom in his prison greens, could hear Michelle Bright’s mother, Lorraine, sob as the sentence was handed down.
The 56-year-old kept his head down, occasionally glancing up throughout proceedings as Acting Justice Hulme told him his fate for his “sexually motivated” crimes.
Acting Justice Robert Allan Hulme said it was unclear whether the killer - who had known the Bright family - had identified whether the young woman was Michelle, as he waited until she became “vulnerable in isolation and the darkness”.
“The attack was clearly sexually motivated,” Acting Justice Hulme said.
“What must’ve been the most horrific and terrifying circumstances…she was helpless to prevent her life from being taken.
“Rumsby’s actions have taken so many aspects of a good life.
“The family’s grief continues till this day.”
Michelle Bright was murdered in the early hours of February 27, 1999, when walking home to her Barneys Reef Rd residence after a birthday party.
Her partially naked body was found covered by long grass, just 400m away from her home, three days after she went missing.
Police found her shirt was pushed over her bra with her jeans and underwear down around her ankles.
On Friday, the heartache of Michelle Bright’s family echoed out through Dubbo Court House as her mother Lorraine finally got the opportunity to confront her daughter’s killer, telling him how he “stole her” from them.
Outsdie of course, Michelle’s brother Leslie Bright said “we’re really happy with the sentence, we’re extremely happy he’s not going to get the chance to hurt anymore young women”.
“I think I speak for everybody when I say that I hope he rots in hell,” Mr Bright said.
Michelle’s mother said it was “the happiest day of my life.”
“I’ve got what I wanted, we got the justice that we wanted and I’m so glad he’s not going to come out and do this to somebody else,” she said. “We’ve never given up hope.”
Lorraine said it was the first chance the family have had to start grieving.
“We won’t ever forget Michelle, we know where he is and we can try and move on with our lives,” she said.
Dubbo sale and auction results, week ending February 8
See the latest auction and sales results in Dubbo for last week.
Meet the talented young artists from ARTEXPRESS 2025
The annual art exhibition which shows some of the most outstanding and exemplary artworks across NSW by HSC visual arts students has opened. Meet the students and see their amazing works.