Life for ‘cold blooded’ Rick Thorburn over Tiahleigh Palmer murder

Judge describes Tiahleigh Palmer’s foster father Rick Thorburn as “calculating, callous” as he sentences him to life.

(L-R) Rick Thorburn, his son Josh, wife Julene and son Trent.

A judge has described Tiahleigh Palmer’s foster father Rick Thorburn as “calculating and callous” as he sentenced the 58-year-old to life for the schoolgirl’s murder.

As Tiahleigh’s mother Cindy Palmer looked on, Judge David Boddice told the court Thorburn was a “cold, calculating and callous” killer who murdered a defenceless child.

“You murdered this defenceless child who relied on you for protection,” he said.

Earlier, Thorburn wiped away tears as he replied “guilty” to charges of murder, interfering with the 12-year-old’s corpse, perjury, and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Handed a 20 year life sentence, he will be eligible for parole in 2036.

His cold-blooded crime led to multiple reviews of the child safety, foster care and blue card systems in Queensland.

First signs of emotion from Rick Thorburn as his lawyer discusses the early death of his mother, his childhood in juvenile institutions and that his only human contact now is with medical staff. Dry eyed when his murder of #Tiahleigh murder was detailed

— David Murray (@TheMurrayD) May 25, 2018

He initially claimed he dropped the 12-year-old, who was in the seventh grade, at Marsden State High on the morning of October 30, 2015.

But he had murdered her the night before, within hours of discovering his 18-year-old son Trent had sex with Tia days earlier.

Tiahleigh Palmer.

Trent was worried his foster sister was pregnant, and on the night of the murder Thorburn told his family: “It’s all taken care of.”

The family then conspired to cover up the crime, telling police as one that everything had been normal the morning she was reported missing.

Tiahleigh’s body, found by a river, had no injuries that could explain her death.

Thorburn has his head down, arms by his side, in the dock as the prosecutor says he was “playing the role of concerned parent” the day Tia went missing.

— David Murray (@TheMurrayD) May 25, 2018

It all unravelled six months later, in April 2016, when Thorburn was accused of separate, unrelated offences, refocusing the investigation. Those offences have not yet been dealt with in court.

The Thorburns operated a family day care centre from their home in Chambers Flat in Logan, south west of Brisbane.

Thorburn had been involved in the search for Tia before her body was found on the banks of the Pimpama River, 30km from home, six days after she was reported missing, and helped carry her coffin at her funeral.

#Thorburn is weeping in the dock, court hears he himself was in care as a child, on the streets, attempted suicide after his arrest @SkyNewsAust

— Brendan Smith (@brendanjsmith9) May 25, 2018

His wife Julene and sons Trent and Josh have already been convicted and sentenced for covering up the crime.

Thorburn also pleaded guilty to interfering with Tiahleigh’s corpse, attempting to pervert the course of justice and two counts of perjury.

He is being sentenced today.

More to come