By Melissa Cunningham
The man accused of Samantha Murphy’s murder has been fined and convicted over a motorcycle crash that occurred while he was under the influence of drugs and alcohol, months before the Ballarat mother’s alleged killing.
Patrick Stephenson was ordered to pay $2500 after pleading guilty to careless, drug and drink-driving charges following a crash in October 2023, on the Sunday after the AFL grand final.
Patrick Stephenson, accused of killing Samantha Murphy, has been convicted of separate driving offences. He is seen here in an Instagram photo from 2019.
The Ballarat Magistrates’ Court heard police attended the scene on Armstrong Street in South Ballarat just after 1.20am, and found a black motorcycle on its side in the service lane and Stephenson lying in the middle of the road.
Police said Stephenson – the son of former AFL footballer Orren Stephenson – had fallen off his Kawasaki motorcycle while attempting a right-hand turn.
“The motorcycle has slid out from underneath the accused, which had ejected the accused from the motorcycle,” the prosecutor told the court.
The court heard police had difficulty communicating with Stephenson due to his state of intoxication.
He was unable to provide police with his driver’s licence at the scene, but gave them his name and address.
Police said that Stephenson returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.148, with traces of MDMA also found in his system.
No one else was involved in the crash.
Stephenson’s lawyer, Moya O’Brien, told the court her client had spent two weeks in hospital after the crash, in which he sustained injuries including a spinal fracture, lacerated spleen, broken pelvis and ribs, and minor head trauma.
“Your honour, this was a single-vehicle accident, most fortunately,” she told the court.
“It was undoubtedly a serious accident involving a motorcycle and high reading of blood alcohol content.”
O’Brien said Stephenson had been at a grand final party in the hours before the crash.
“He is still undergoing some follow-up treatment and review, and that has been seen to while he is in custody,” she said.
On Thursday, Stephenson appeared via video link from custody at the Melbourne Assessment Prison, where he is awaiting court proceedings into the alleged murder of Murphy.
Ballarat mother Samantha Murphy disappeared in February.Credit: Joe Armao
Stephenson – wearing a navy-blue T-shirt, his beard long – remained expressionless throughout the hearing.
O’Brien said Stephenson had the support of his family, including his parents and long-term partner, who were in regular contact with him while he was on remand.
In sentencing Stephenson, magistrate Guillaume Bailin told the court it was “luck alone” nobody was killed or seriously injured in the crash.
Stephenson was arrested and charged in March last year over the disappearance of Murphy, who left home to go for a run on February 4 and has not been seen since.
He is accused of killing the mother of three at Mount Clear in Ballarat on the day that she went missing.
No trace of the 51-year-old woman has been found, despite widespread searches from police and members of the public.
Stephenson pleaded guilty to drug, drink and careless driving. Two other charges were struck out.
Bailin said Stephenson’s blood-alcohol reading – almost three times the legal limit – was the most serious charge as it fell into the “high range”.
He noted the 24-year-old was on a good behaviour bond for similar offending at the time and cancelled Stephenson’s licence for 28 months.
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