Ethan Edward McMaugh, son of Caves Beach murder victim Stacey McMaugh, sentenced over dark web drug syndicate

A court has heard a man, who found his murdered mother’s body as a teenager, had shown remorse and deep shame over his “peripheral” involvement in a local drug “industry” loosely linked to his innocent mum’s slaying.

Rob Pashkuss and Stacey McMaugh were murdered at their home in Caves Beach in 2008. MsMaugh’s then 15-year-old son Ethan discovered their bodies.

The son of cold case murder victim Stacey McMaugh has escaped full time custody for his “peripheral” involvement in a syndicate running illegal synthetic cannabis on the dark web, with a judge saying Ethan McMaugh’s unique circumstances and genuine remorse contributed to him staying out of prison.

McMaugh, now aged 31, pleaded guilty to supplying a large commercial quantity of prohibited drugs and supplying a commercial quantity of prohibited drugs, with his job within the Lake Macquarie syndicate limited to couriering vape oil and lollipops laced with THC to a post office and sometimes assisting in packing and labelling the packages ready for mail.

Downing Centre District Court heard on Tuesday that McMaugh had only become involved in the syndicate to help pay his rent because he was suffering significant financial hardship after badly injuring his wrist when he was hit by a vehicle in 2021.

He was only being paid up to $350 a fortnight and sporadically given some food for his work, the court heard.

In sentencing McMaugh to two-and-a-half years imprisonment to be served in the community as an intensive correction order, Judge Robert Sutherland mentioned McMaugh’s ongoing mental health issues after he discovered the bodies of his mother and her partner, Robert Pashkuss, inside their Caves Beach home in 2008.

Flowers sit outside the house in Macquarie Grove, Caves Beach, where Stacey McMaugh and partner Robert Pashkuss were murdered on January 6, 2008.

The pair had been brutally bashed to death and their murders remain unsolved, with this masthead revealing in December that a police strike force were investigating new leads in the case.

McMaugh was just 15 when he made the horrific discovery and would suffer greatly from his experience, leaving school early and drinking heavily.

Police examine a drain in a neighbouring house for clues following the deaths of Stacey McMaugh and partner Robert Pashkuss, who were found murdered in their Macquarie Grove, Caves Beach home.

The court had earlier heard McMaugh had felt “shame and guilt” for being involved in the dark web syndicate knowing his mother and partner were suspected of being killed because of Pashkuss’ involvement in dealing amphetamines and cannabis before their deaths.

Detectives investigating the murders suspect Ms McMaugh played no part in the drug trade and was killed because of her connection with her drug dealing partner.

Judge Sutherland said Ethan McMaugh, who had no criminal history before his arrest over the dark web syndicate in 2022, had shown genuine and deep remorse for his criminality.

That remorse included McMaugh’s shame in being involved in some way in “the very industry linked to his mother’s murder”.

Robert Pashkuss and Stacey McMaugh

The judge said McMaugh’s background circumstances were “indeed unique”and that the offending was “a very exceptional case”.

Judge Sutherland also found McMaugh’s offending was at the lower end of the range and that his moral culpability had been lessened by his circumstances.