Carly McBride murder: Sayle Kenneth Newson has all-grounds appeal dismissed in majority NSW Court of Criminal Appeal decision

Almost 10 years after he brutally murdered his new girlfriend during a fit of rage, a kickboxer has had his all-grounds appeal dismissed. And Carly McBride’s mum says she can finally breathe again.

Sayle Kenneth Newson has had his all-grounds appeal dismissed in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal for the murder of Carly McBride in 2014.

It has taken almost a decade, but Lorraine Williams feels she can now finally exhale again.

The professional kickboxer who brutally murdered her daughter, Carly McBride, callously dumped her body in a bush grave and then denied any knowledge of her whereabouts for years has had an appeal against his murder conviction and sentence dismissed.

Sayle Newson had argued he should be acquitted or a new trial ordered after claiming a series of errors had been made during his 2021 murder trial.

He also argued the jury should have been allowed to consider an alternative verdict of manslaughter.

However, in a 2-1 majority judgment handed down in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal on Wednesday, Newson’s all-grounds appeal against his conviction and his 27-year maximum sentence were both dismissed.

Mother-of-two Carly McBride was murdered in 2014 and her body dumped in bushland.

The court heard the reasons in rejecting Newson’s appeal would not be published until after the man convicted of being an accessory after the fact to Ms Bride’s murder, James Anthony Cunneen, has had his appeal heard.

But the fact Newson has still been left to serve his non-parole period of 19 years and nine months has been welcomed by Ms McBride’s mum.

Lorraine Williams, pictured at a press conference with Carly’s father, Steve McBride, said she felt happy and relieved Sayle Newson’s appeal had been dismissed. Picture by Peter Lorimer.

“He is in there for the long-term and that is all that matters,” Ms Williams told The Newcastle News.

“To say I am relieved and happy is an understatement.

“It has been a long, long time but I feel I can breath again.”

However, Newson’s defence team has left the door ajar for a possible appeal to the High Court.

Sayle Kenneth Newson

“The judgment of the court is presently restricted, however, one of the judges presiding has provided a dissenting judgment and would have ordered a new trial and quashed the conviction on this appeal,” solicitor Mark Ramsland said in a statement.

“We are now exploring whether a High Court appeal can be undertaken. The judgment is a lengthy one. Time will be needed to consider the position.

“Mr Newson continues to maintain his innocence in the death of Carly McBride.”

Ms McBride had met Newson at a rehabilitation centre and they had started a brief relationship before the pair travelled to Muswellbrook on September 30, 2014.

The 31-year-old was reportedly last seen walking along a street at Muswellbrook and a painstaking search continued for 22 months before her body was discovered off a rural road at Owens Gap, outside Scone and nearly 50km away.

Newson had continued to deny any involvement in Ms McBride’s disappearance, even telling her family he had no idea what had occurred.

But he was arrested and charged almost three years after she first disappeared before a jury found him guilty of murder following a trial in 2021.

After showing little emotion throughout the trial, Newson lost control as the verdict was handed down, telling the judge and jury in an outburst they had made a mistake.

Crown Prosecutor Lee Carr SC told Newson’s initial sentencing hearing that evidence in the trial had disclosed a significant amount of violence against Ms McBride, including 23 fractures to the head and 13 to other areas of her body.

Carly McBride, 31, was brutally bashed to death by Sayle Newson before her body was dumped in bushland near Scone in 2014.

“The violence was clearly accepted by the jury and perpetrated by the offender,” Mr Carr said.

“He had a background in martial arts, had 20 professional fights with 20 victories and trained with champions. She was 50 kilograms.”

Mr Carr agreed with the defence that her murder wasn’t planned, but that he had an intention to inflict serious harm.

“He had jealousy and possessiveness, as it was put to the jury,” Mr Carr added.

“It is a domestic violence type matter, and the Crown suggests those actions showed no respect at all for the lady the offender claims to have loved. She was discarded.”