New evidence in alleged wheelie bin murder
Written by admin on June 12, 2024
The alleged “wheelie bin” murder of a South Australian man continues to grow in scale and complexity, with the case against four people accused of involvement in his death and disappearance delayed once again as more material comes to light.
Sheree Glastonbury and Mark Murphy appeared at Adelaide Magistrates Court on Wednesday charged the murder of Mr McLean, Ms Glastonbury’s former partner, who the police allege suffered through months of violence and attacks before he was killed, dismembered and stuffed in a wheelie bin.
Mr Murphy’s twin brother Peter Murphy and Lynette Sexton, who also appeared in court, have been charged with assisting an offender for allegedly helping to transport, store and dispose of Mr McLean’s body.
The four, all in custody on remand, were set to enter their pleas, but the answer charge date has been pushed back as their defence lawyers grapple with the full material in the case, including a 170 page chronology of the heinous alleged crime prepared by prosecutors.
Ms Sexton’s lawyer asked for an adjournment to consider the material, telling the court he had received a USB containing the extensive brief on Tuesday.
“I was provided with a USB yesterday which I’m told contains all of that material, involving several hundred pages, including transcripts of listening devices, which we have not had the benefit of yet,” he told Magistrate John Wells.
“There is a spreadsheet of listening devices, but the chronology is virtually impossible to follow.
“From Mr Sexton’s point of view, I need to view that material,” he continued.
“It seems like the crucial material that ties it all together is the material that was provided to me yesterday.”
Stacey Carter, for Ms Glastonbury, also requested more time to consume the voluminous material and receive instructions from her client.
“I’m instructed to seek more time in relation to her receiving some of the brief quite late, but also we received the USB on Wednesday … we would have to download that material,” she said.
“She is in custody. I’m noticing when we post material from our office to Ms Glastonbury, she is not receiving it for three or four weeks. I’m concerned about that.”
James Marcus, for Mark Murphy, also requested more time, telling the court he had “just learned of this sizeable new material, that we were not aware of”.
“So from Mr Mark Murphy’s perspective, we would need to see it to provide some further advice,” he said.
The convoluted horror allegedly started in April 2022, when police allege Ms Glastonbury directed a campaign of violence against Mr McLean, which included a bottle and axe attack.
Another man, Anthony Lloyd, a former partner of Ms Glastonbury, attacked Mr McLean with acid.
He pleaded guilty to the attack in September 2022 and in July 2023, he was jailed for the crime.
He claimed to have attacked Mr McLean at the behest of Ms Glastonbury.
There is no suggestion Mr Lloyd was involved in the murder of Mr McLean.
The police allege Ms Glastonbury murdered Mr McLean on August 18, 2022, at the couple’s Andrews Farm home in Adelaide’s outer north.
They further allege Ms Glastonbury and Mark Murphy dismembered Mr McLean and then took his body to Mr Murphy’s home, where they stole a neighbour’s wheelie bin and stuffed his torso inside it.
In October, the police found Mr McLean’s torso in a wheelie bin in Salisbury South.
The police arrested and charged Ms Glastonbury and Mark Murphy on March 6, 2023, and arrested and charged Peter Murphy and Lynette Sexton on March 22, 2023.
Prosecutor Mark Alessandrini, speaking on Wednesday, asked for more time so defence could consider the material.
Mr Wells granted the adjourned and relisted the answer charge date for August 27.
All four remain in custody.
