Michelle Bright murder: Craig Rumsby to be sentenced as court hears he was bashed in Bathurst Correctional Centre

The man found guilty of murdering teen Michelle Bright has refused to even glance at her family court, as the court heard he had been repeatedly bashed in custody over the last week.

Murderer Craig Rumsby sat in Dubbo Supreme Court donning prison greens with his head down – refusing to even glance at the family of the teenage girl he was found guilty of murdering 24 years ago – as they finally had their chance to tell him how he “stole her” from them.

Rumsby, 56, today learnt he would be sentenced for his crimes in just days, as the court heard he had been repeatedly bashed in custody over the last week.

Craig Rumsby.

The heartache of Michelle Bright’s family echoed out through Dubbo Court House on Friday as victim impact statements were read out by her mother Lorraine, as well as her brothers Leslie and Phillip.

The jury in the trial in Dubbo found 56-year-old Craig Rumsby guilty of her murder on June 30, following a nine-week Supreme Court trial. The jury also found him guilty of the rape of a second teenage girl in 1998 – who cannot be named.

The rape victim’s impact statement was also read out to the court on Friday.

Michelle’s heartbroken mother has revealed how the tragedy shattered her family and her own mental health for more than two decades.

Michelle's mother Loraine. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Flavio Brancaleone

Lorraine Bright bravely delivered her victim impact statement, as her daughter’s killer was waiting for his sentence, describing her only daughter Michelle was a “fun, loving girl who loved her family, her brothers and her friends”.

She continued saying “Michelle was loved by so many” and that from the night she was “stolen” that as her mother, Lorraine was left “shattered”.

“I don’t get to see her walk down the aisle on her wedding day,” she teared up.

She described that her marriage did not survive the grief, saying the loss of Michelle had affected the lives of so many.

Michelle Bright.

Michelle’s father Gregory Bright’s statement was delivered by Crown Prosecutor Lee Carr, saying that his daughter had been “murdered by a monster”.

“You treated my daughter as if she was nothing and disposed her like a piece of rubbish,” Mr Carr said on behalf of Mr Bright.

“You have taken from me the most precious person – my daughter Michelle Bright.”

53-year-old Craig Henry Rumsby was found guilty of the murder of Michelle Bright.

In June, The Dubbo News reported the jury’s announcement of the guilty verdicts after two weeks of deliberation resulted in audible gasps heard across the courtroom.

Ms Bright was murdered in the early hours of February 27, 1999, when walking home to her Barneys Reef Rd residence after a birthday party.

Michelle’s two brothers delivered statements, telling the court their sister was “violently stolen” from their family. While the unnamed rape victim’s statement said she had “no faith” her attacker would “be behind bars”.

Michelle Bright.

Crown Prosecutor Lee Carr also read Michelle’s best friend’s statement, which described the mistrust she gained within the community.

The heartbreaking accounts of family came before Defence barrister Nicholas Broadbent revealed Rumsby had been bashed in custody at Bathurst Correctional Centre twice in the last week.

The court heard Rumsby was first bashed in his cell and again in the yard where he was punched and kicked repeatedly to the head.

Rumsby will be sentenced at Dubbo Supreme Court on August 7.