Man sentenced to four years’ jail over involvement in young mum’s death
A MAN who helped to conceal the savage murder of a young mother could spend just two years behind bars, in a decision that has disgusted his victim’s family.
Law & Order
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A MAN who helped to conceal the savage murder of a young mother could spend just two years behind bars.
Luke Marmo, 26, was today sentenced in the Supreme Court to four years’ jail for his involvement in Simone Quinlan’s brutal murder in August 2015.
But he will be eligible for parole after only two years, in a decision that has disgusted Ms Quinlan’s family.
Her father Wayne Quinlan said it was nowhere near the maximum penalty of 20 years for assisting a murderer.
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FAMILY’S GRIEF FOR MURDERED MUM
“The court system is by far lacking in a lot of hard justice,” Mr Quinlan said outside court.
“Why you can have a very vicious murder and the people associated to it get less than what people who break into someone’s home ... all I can say is the court system is very disappointing if you are a victim.
“I was disappointed from the start and I’ll die disappointed.”
Ms Quinlan, 33, was beaten to death in an assault that lasted hours by her ice-fuelled boyfriend Brendan Neil in their Melton home.
Neil, 31, who has been jailed for 26 years for the killing, become enraged at Ms Quinlan going to police after he hit her over the head with a baseball bat.
He beat her and smashed her head with a hammer, before wrapping duct tape around her face and telling her she looked beautiful.
His mate Wayne Marmo, the cousin of Luke Marmo, then helped to wrap her bloodied body in a rug and put it in the back of his ute before driving her to bushland near Bendigo.
Believing she may be still alive, he stopped on the way to shoot her in the head five times.
He then threw Ms Quinlan into a mineshaft, poured in petrol and set her alight.
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The court heard Luke Marmo’s involvement was, after receiving a call from Neil, attending the house with a jerry can of fuel, which he placed in the ute with the mother of two’s body.
He then remained with Neil, going to the local pub to provide an alibi, before going home and burning his clothes.
The next day he went back to Neil’s house and helped him to sand back the floors, before using a blue light to ensure no traces of Ms Quinlan’s blood could be found.
Justice Jane Dixon said Luke Marmo gave assistance knowing he was concealing a crime.
“You acted on a misguided loyalty to Wayne Marmo and Brendan Neil,” Ms Dixon said.
Luke Marmo is the last to be sentenced over the killing, but it brings no closure to Ms Quinlan’s family.
Mr Quinlan said losing his “absolute gem” of a daughter in such a horrific way had taken its toll on him and his wife Lynda.
“It wasn’t just an accidental death. It was an assault over a few hours, it was a shooting, and an incineration,” Mr Quinlan said.
Mr Quinlan said he often visits the mineshaft where her body was found.
“I miss her every day,” he said.
Neil will be eligible for parole in 22 years, while Wayne Marmo, 26, was imprisoned for 24 years, with a minimum of 20 years.