Mother breaks down out of court when private schoolboy’s son is denied bail after being accused of murdering a homeless man with his father
The mother of a teen accused of murder has broken down after his bail offer was rejected.
Marco Yandle, 19, was watching South Australia’s highest court from custody via an AVL link when Judge Sandi McDonald again denied the teen’s bail.
Marco, who is charged with murder following the death in February of then-missing father-of-two Steve Murphy, had previously asked the Adelaide Magistrates Court to release him on bail for house arrest – a request which was immediately rejected due to the seriousness of the matter. costs.
He then petitioned the Supreme Court for a review of that decision, arguing that his age, lack of criminal history and previous good character should be reason enough to overturn the dismissal.
Former school prefect Marco Yandle has been charged with murder. Photo: Facebook
Yandle’s mother (center) looked emotionally out of court
However, Justice McDonald ruled that a murder charge was the most serious offense and meant that the teen was not automatically entitled to bail.
“It’s a crime committed in a wide variety of circumstances, by people from many different walks of life,” she said.
“It is not unusual for a person charged with murder to have been of good character before first appearing in court.
“In my opinion, this is a very serious charge of murder and I deny the application.”
Marco did not visibly react to the decision, but outside the court his mother left the case crying.
Alleged Kudla murder victim Steve Murphy was a “devoted” father. Image: Delivered
He argued that he was entitled to bail because of his previous good character as a prefect and sports athlete. Photo: Facebook
Prosecutors allege that on the night of Feb. 19, Marco and his father Keith equipped themselves with a bat and an illegal firearm after they suspected an intruder was on the property.
The duo reportedly went out to check their shed on the family property in Kudla, about 47 km north of Adelaide, when the intruder, Steve Murphy, was shot.
The teenager, who was carrying a baseball bat, allegedly shone a flashlight at Mr. Murphy when his father shot the homeless man three times.
The entire incident, the prosecutor alleges, was captured on the family’s CCTV system, but the hard drives containing the footage were hidden in the roof of the house, along with the gun.
Prosecutor Lucy Boord KC pleaded against bail, saying there were suspicions that Marco had something to do with hiding the evidence and destroying text messages between him and his father from that day forward.
Keith Yandle, 46, has also been charged with destroying human remains after burying Mr Murphy’s body in an underground ‘pit’ in the barn.
Off court, Marco’s friends and family declined to comment, but appeared visibly upset by the decision.
Friends of Mr. Murphy told NCA NewsWire they were relieved the teen would remain in custody.
Both Marco and Keith will remain in custody at least until October.