NSW DPP set to appeal Tyrone Thompson’s sentence for murdering Mackenzie Anderson

The state’s top prosecutor is set to appeal the sentence handed down to murderer Tyrone Thompson, who used two knives to stab his former partner Mackenzie Anderson at least 78 times in less than three minutes.

Tyrone Thompson was sentenced 22 years and six months in jail for murdering his former partner Mackenzie Anderson. Picture: Supplied

Murder victim Mackenzie Anderson’s mother has welcomed news prosecutors are set to appeal the sentence handed down to her brutal killer.

Tyrone Thompson was sentenced earlier this month to 22 years and six months in jail after he admitted to stabbing the 21-year-old Newcastle woman at least 78 times in an attack which occurred just 16 days after he was released on parole for domestic violence offences against Ms Anderson.

With time already served taken into account – and a non-parole period of 15 years and six months – Thompson could be released before he turned 40.

The decision angered Ms Anderson’s family and prompted her mother, Tabitha Acret, to plead for prosecutors to appeal the decision.

Ms Acret said on Wednesday night she had been told NSW Director of Public Prosecutions Sally Dowling SC was set to appeal the decision after the director’s office had confirmed last week it was “considering the sentence imposed in accordance with the prosecution guidelines”.

Tyrone Thompson is eligible for release when he was 38 after being sentenced to a non-parole period of 15-and-a-half years. Picture: Nine News

Comment has been sought from the office of the DPP.

“We are pleased with the outcome of the DPP’s decision to appeal this case,” Ms Acret said.

Tabitha Acret said her family was pleased with the decision to appeal Tyrone Thompson’s sentence for murdering her daughter Mackenzie Anderson. Picture: Sue Graham

“This is the first hurdle to getting a sentence that is more in line with community and moral standards.

“I hope this case highlights the many problems with the judicial system and creates more discussion and change for domestic violence.

“Sentencing is one piece of the puzzle and prevention is always a better solution so I will continue to advocate for change in this area to keep all women safe.”

In handing down his sentence in the NSW Supreme Court on May 2, Justice Richard Weinstein said although Thompson’s significant mental health issues, which included diagnoses of complex post-traumatic stress disorder and schizoaffective disorder, did not cause him to offend, they did reduce Thompson’s moral culpability.

Mackenzie Anderson

So did Thompson’s youth and immaturity.

“In my opinion, in all of the offender’s circumstances, and because of the combination of the disadvantages he suffered, he had limited emotional resources,” Justice Weinstein said.

“He was unable make his choices in the same way as an average person at the time of the offending.”

He later added: “It is important that the victims understand that this finding does not extinguish Mr Thompson’s moral culpability for the murder of the deceased.

“He bears responsibility for the commission of that offence.

“My finding is that his moral culpability is diminished, which I will take into account as a matter to synthesise on sentence.”

The unit block where Newcastle mum Mackenzie Anderson was stabbed to her death by her former partner Tyrone Thompson. Picture: Toby Zerna

Justice Weinstein said Thompson would have been sentenced to 25 years in jail had he not received a mandatory 10 per cent discount for pleading guilty before trial.

Thompson, now aged 25, had been out on parole for domestic violence offences committed against Ms Anderson for just 16 days when he broke back into her suburban Newcastle unit, left and returned to use two knives to stab her 78 times in less than three minutes.

Ms Anderson, 21, had feared for her life and predicted she would die at the hands of her ex-boyfriend before he briefly re-entered her life upon his release from prison.

He immediately contacted her and said he was “coming for her” and loved her.

On the day of the murder, the pair had spent time together before Ms Anderson had ordered Thompson to leave her Mayfield unit.

He left before returning twice, once by scaling a ladder to enter her home while she slept, and a second time with a set of her own house keys.

He claimed she was armed with a knife – something prosecutors had not been able to disprove and Justice Weinstein found on the balance of probabilities – before he attacked her with at least two weapons in an attack that continued through several sections of her unit.