Family tells of stolen futures
COOKTOWN still feels the loss of Donna “Daisy” Steele.
After listening to her killer, Matthew Ross White, explain to detectives the motivation behind ambushing and strangling their sister, brothers Brendan and Jason Steele spoke to Cairns Supreme Court.
Wearing a crumpled and untucked business shirt he wore the previous day, White, 27, sat as Jason Steele told the court of the trauma the death of his sister “Daisy” had caused their family.
His brother Brendan stood by his shoulder, staring at the man who beat, strangled and dumped for dead their little sister, 42.
“We were three peas in a pod,” Mr Steele said.
“Donna’s lively personality was infectious, she made lifelong friends everywhere she went.
“You have taken a big part of our family’s futures; they were devastated by what you did the day you took our sister away.
“You dumped my sister in a creek and went on with living life; you brought shame and accusation to the good people of Cooktown.”
The two brothers were in no rush to return to the gallery, both deliberately looking into the face of their sister’s killer as they filed past the glass-walled dock.
White was convinced Steele was part of the Cooktown drug scene – indeed her autopsy by Dr Paul Botteril would reveal high levels of methylamphetamines – and Mark Seears, the man who would find her body in the Endeavour River, was next on White’s extortion list.
Both families have been rent by White’s act but the pain is still too vivid for reconciliation – sharp words were spoken between one of his supporters and the Steele brothers in the halls outside the Supreme Court.
Grief may wane but two innocents will feel Donna’s loss for years to come, sons who spent a “confusing and lonely night” when their mum did not come home.
“Two young boys will never recover from losing their mother,” Brendan Steele said outside the courthouse.
Matt Coglan, partner of White’s sister Jessica, spoke few words on behalf of his family.
“Our thoughts and prayers go to Donna Steele’s family,” Mr Coglan said.
“I hope Matthew gets the help he needs in prison.”