MAN JAILED FOR GAY HATE MURDER, 34 YEARS LATER
ALMOST 34 years after sending Scott Johnson to his death off the cliff at North Head, Scott White has been sentenced for his “reckless disregard for human life”.
White was yesterday jailed for 12 years and seven months after pleading guilty to murdering the American academic at the renowned gay haunt at Manly in 1988.
In handing down her sentence, Supreme Court Justice Helen Wilson noted that White was being sentenced as a different man to the 18-year-old who murdered Dr Johnson. She also acknowledged the 12year term had to reflect sentences given for similar crimes at the time.
“Such a sentence today would be much higher,” she said. “It is unlikely that this approach would give proper recognition to the loss of the Johnson family.”
Outside court, his brother Steve Johnson described the sentence as “fair” and said the process to bring White to justice had brought out “the best in Australia”.
“What’s happened over the last few years is a large number of people came together because they were inspired by Scott and they saw he was wronged,” Mr Johnson said.
“I think today Scott is saying thank you, he’s proud of us.”
The prosecution had argued that White, 50, was driven by his hatred of gay people and, while Justice Wilson said this was “very likely”, it couldn’t be proved beyond reasonable doubt. The court had previously heard White told police in conversations in 2020 he was gay himself.
The Justice said limited evidence meant the precise act around Dr Johnson’s death could not be proved, but said White’s “reckless disregard for human life” could be shown. White met the 27-year-old at a bar in Manly before making their way to North Head where a violent attack led to the mathematician tumbling to his death.
His naked body was found on rocks at the bottom, while his clothes were folded neatly on the clifftop.
“What is established is that White hit Dr Johnson causing him to stumble backwards, he threw a blow without provocation,” Justice Wilson said. “That violent act was the direct cause of him going down in terror and hitting rock. Dr Johnson must have been terrified, aware he was going to hit the rocks below and conscious of his impending fate.”