Scott White’s legal professionals name for trial in Scott Johnson homicide case after shock responsible plea, court docket hears

His legal professionals argued within the attraction that it was within the “curiosity of justice”.

Scott Phillip White was sentenced to 12 years in jail in Might, greater than three many years after Mr Johnson’s physique was discovered on the foot of a cliff in North Head in 1988.

The 52-year-old stunned his legal professionals by pleading responsible in a pre-trial listening to in January, however has maintained his innocence for now.

White’s protection group made an unsuccessful try and withdraw the plea and he’s at the moment interesting the decision.

Lawyer Tim Recreation SC at the moment instructed the NSW Court docket of Legal Attraction White didn’t perceive he can be charged on the morning of his plea.

On the time, Crown’s case towards White was unspecified and there have been no details to counter his protection, he argued.

White was convicted by Justice Helen Wilson on the grounds of “reckless insensitivity to human life”, according to the decrease penalties imposed within the Nineteen Eighties.

“Nobody mentioned a phrase about reckless indifference to life till throughout the sentencing proceedings,” Mr Recreation mentioned throughout the attraction listening to.

Instantly after pleading responsible, White’s attorneys held a gathering during which he instructed them that he was not responsible.

“It’s within the curiosity of justice that this matter shall be heard by the court docket as a query of guilt,” submitted Mr Recreation.

Throughout the assembly, White expressed concern that his ex-wife would “pursue” him.

“It isn’t a great cause to justify an offense, and that is the explanation he gave it,” Mr Recreation mentioned.

He mentioned the plea had been described as “a plea of ​​comfort”, however instructed the court docket: “I’ve by no means heard a plea of ​​comfort for homicide”.

“The underside line on this case is that earlier than and after, he has insisted that he’s not responsible, and that he has by no means asserted the rest, and there’s no cause that he ought to. I give to plead responsible for good cause.”

Mr Recreation describes his shopper as “a person with psychological difficulties, to say the least”.

At one level throughout the listening to, White appeared distressed on a video hyperlink from the jail and crying may very well be heard.

After a short break, Mr Recreation instructed Judges White was “fairly distressed” and didn’t want to be current whereas the attraction continued.

NSW Director of Public Prosecutions, Sally Dowling SC, beforehand instructed the court docket that on the time of the plea, your entire proof abstract had been served.

“There is no such thing as a suggestion … that the applicant was not legally represented in any respect phases of this continuing,” she instructed the court docket.

The listening to continues.