Scown freed after manslaughter plea
A MAN who has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his four-year-old stepson Tyrell Cobb has walked free after being given a suspended prison sentence.
Matthew Scown was sentenced yesterday to a maximum four years’ jail for the manslaughter of his stepson, having already spent two years and eight months in custody.
The remainder of his sentence was suspended in Brisbane Supreme Court yesterday.
Justice Martin Burns said Scown was not responsible for the injuries that killed Tyrell but failed in his duty of care to the boy, who died in May 2009 from internal bleeding and stomach injuries caused by blunt force trauma. Tyrell had 53 bruises and 17 abrasions from head to legs when he died, the court heard.
While Scown did not cause the injuries he did not contact authorities or seek medical help, even when Tyrell was vomiting green bile the night before his death.
“You ought to have acted,” Justice Burns said.
“From the time of injury until death every movement including breathing and vomiting would have caused extreme pain.”
Scown called Triple 0 in distress and performed CPR on the boy as paramedics made their way to the Gold Coast home where the pair were staying. “Looks like he’s going to die on me,” Scown told a Triple 0 operator, the court heard.
When paramedics arrived Scown told them to hurry to the boy as he wasn’t breathing. “He’s turning blue,” he said. This, Justice Burns found, was evidence of Scown’s “extreme concern” for Tyrell.
“Clearly you were very worried about the little boy,” he said.
Scone was initially charged with murder but pleaded guilty to lesser charge ahead of yesterday’s sentencing.
“The basis for your plea of guilty is an acceptance by you that you owed to Tyrell a duty of care,” Justice Burns said. “Your failure to obtain medical assistance for him renders you criminally negligent for his death.”