A man who stomped and caved the head of an injured man into the road causing him to die has been released on parole, halfway through his 20-year jail sentence.
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Neville Lindsay Whiting was convicted of murder in June 2012 by the Supreme Court of Tasmania in Hobart for his actions that "defied logic".
On March 29, 2011, Whiting was having a few drinks with a couple of people when an argument broke out between the deceased, Scott Rock and another man, Sean Timothy Hudson.
During the trial, the court was told that Whiting had only known Hudson a few days prior to the murder of Scott Rock.
At the time of sentencing, Justice Peter Evans said that Hudson had followed Mr Rock up Mornington Drive after a dispute at the house of Hudson's partner, Teena Kelly, and punched him twice to the jaw, causing him to fall to the ground.
The court was told that Whiting, who had followed the men, then stomped Mr Rock's head into the road and caved his skull in with a six-pack of beer.
"For no explicable reason, seeing Sean Hudson punch Scott Rock incited Neville Whiting to step in and inflict the injuries that killed Scott Rock,'' Justice Evans said.
As a result, Whiting, who was 32 at the time of sentencing, was given 20 years jail and was eligible for parole in 2022, which was subsequently approved by the Tasmanian Parole Board.
The board said the applicant's approach to his custodial sentence had been one of compliance and was described as a "quiet inmate who took pride in his work".
In their report, they said "the applicant has engaged in vocational courses over the period of his sentence gaining several certificates which will enhance his prospects of obtaining employment post release.
"Therapeutic courses have not been made available for him to participate in, despite his request to do so, given his assessment as being at low risk of future violence.
"The applicant has engaged with planning officers at the prison who have assisted him to complete his own relapse prevention plan and offence map.
"Their feedback to the Board was that he demonstrated good engagement during the process and had good strategies to avoid a relapse to alcohol and risky situations in the future.
The report also stated that Whiting had demonstrated that he had the intent and the capacity to change and become a compliant and industrious member of the community.
"Given his recognition of the need to not resume drinking alcohol [...] it is the Board's finding that it is appropriate he be released on parole".
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Satria Dyer-Darmawan
Satria Dyer-Darmawan is a journalist for The Examiner and considers himself to be an all rounder. Originally from the Central Coast of NSW, Satria has worked in Alice Springs and North Queensland and isn't afraid to immerse himself in regional communities.
Satria Dyer-Darmawan is a journalist for The Examiner and considers himself to be an all rounder. Originally from the Central Coast of NSW, Satria has worked in Alice Springs and North Queensland and isn't afraid to immerse himself in regional communities.
