A former vice-captain at a private school has been released from prison and given a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to assisting his father in the alleged murder of a homeless man on their family property.
Marco Yandle appeared in South Australia’s Supreme Court on Tuesday and was sentenced to 20 months in prison but, having already been behind bars for 16 months while awaiting his fate, he was immediately released from custody on a suspended sentence.
A supporter of Steven Murphy, the alleged murder victim, reacted furiously to the sentence, shouting ‘Are you kidding me?’ after the hearing ended.
Yandle admitted that he helped his father Keith Yandle escape apprehension or prosecution, or dispose of the proceeds of crime, following Murphy’s alleged murder on February 19, 2023.
South African police allege Keith killed Mr Murphy, a father of two, with an unlicensed firearm at a property in Kudla, in Adelaide’s northern suburbs.
Marco, 20, was initially charged with murder along with his father, but police downgraded the charge to aiding and abetting an offender.
He has been in prison since April 6, 2023 while his case progresses in court.
Marco, who had been vice-captain at Trinity College, signed a two-year good behaviour bond on Tuesday and will be supervised by officers from the Department of Corrections.
Marco Yandle, 20 (pictured left, leaving Supreme Court with his defence lawyer Stephen Ey) was given a suspended sentence for his role in helping his father allegedly murder a homeless man on his family’s property.
Yandle was the former vice-captain of Trinity College (pictured)
Tears streamed down her face as she faced her family after the sentencing.
In a previous court appearance on July 5, Marco apologized directly to the Murphy family for his actions.
“The decision I made was shameful, reckless and weak,” he said.
‘I chose my father over the law, and I fully understand that I must face the consequences of that choice.
‘While I may never be forgiven, I will always extend my apologies to the family of the late Mr. Murphy.’
The maximum penalty for this crime is 10 years in prison.
Keith, 46, appeared in Adelaide Magistrates Court on February 22 and pleaded not guilty to the murder charge, after previously attempting to plead guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.
Marco was vice-captain of Trinity College, a co-educational private school in Gawler that charges up to $7060 a year to seniors.
