‘Wilsonton Six’ sentenced to varying periods in jail
Six people convicted of manslaughter arising from the death of Wilsonton woman Debbie Combarngo have received varying sentences for their respective roles in the tragedy.
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SIX people convicted of manslaughter arising from the death of Wilsonton woman Debbie Combarngo have received varying sentences for their respective roles in the tragedy.
Justice Peter Callaghan told the six – Joshua James Lingwoodock, 35, Ty Peter Fing, 25, Ashley Aaron Fing, 27, Christine Maree Hall, 36, Jana Leigh Hall, 30 and Lynn Fay Jean Anderson, 28, – by their pleas of guilty they had accepted responsibility for their part.
Justice Callaghan accepted four of them had not inflicted any violence at all when the group of nine had entered the McGregor St flat where Debbie Combarngo, her daughter Claudia and Claudia’s boyfriend Tristan Hooper were staying about 2pm May 6, 2018.
Bad blood had arisen between the parties as a result of the overdose death of Christine Hall’s brother Mikey Hall the month before, Toowoomba Supreme Court heard.
Debbie Combarngo who had been with Mikey Hall when he died was blamed for his death even though Claudia had explained that noone had done anything to Mikey.
Justice Callaghan noted four of the six had not inflicted violence at all that day and that Christine Hall, though armed with a hammer, had told the others to stop the assault.
Joshua Lindwoodock had punched Tristan Hooper who had gone to the aid of Claudia who was being assaulted in the bedroom beside her mother.
The women in the bedroom had been armed with a hammer, golf club and a metal pole, the court heard.
Debbie Combarngo sustained a number of injuries and died primarily of a stabbing wound to her chest.
The other three people who made up the “Wilsonton Nine”, namely Rhianna Fing, 31, Shiralee Fernando, 32, and Rhonda Hall, 31, will be arraigned on the charge of murder in the same court tomorrow.
Their trial is set for early next year, Justice Callaghan said.
The court heard all but two people involved were related and that Debbie was considered their big sister.
Reading his letter of apology to the Combarngo family today, Ashley Fing said: “I’m so sorry my cuzzos, that day should never have happened.
“I hope one day you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”
Justice Callaghan said it was hoped Debbie Combarngo’s death would not be the source of an ongoing feud between the parties.
In sentencing the six, Justice Callaghan said he took into account each defendant’s criminal history, involvement in the matter and the time spent in pre-sentence custody.
Lynn Anderson and Ashley Fing were sentenced to five years in prison, suspended after the 906 days they had spent in custody, the balance to hang over their heads for five years.
Each was also placed on three years probation.
Jana Hall, who was on bail, was sentenced to five years in jail, suspended after the 691 days she had spent in custody, the balance to hang over her head for five years and three years probation.
Ty Fing, who was on parole at the time of the incident and served out his previous sentence, was sentenced to five years in jail with 754 days pre-sentence custody declared.
Justice Callaghan ordered he be eligible to apply for release on parole immediately.
Joshua Lindwoodock was sentenced to six years in jail with 906 days pre-sentence custody declared as time served with an immediate parole eligibility date.
Christine Hall was sentenced to six years and six months in jail with an immediate parole eligibility date with 906 days pre-sentence custody declared time served.