The former vice-principal of a prestigious private school has been given a suspended sentence after he admitted helping his father in the alleged murder of a homeless man on their family property.
Marco Yandle, who appeared in the South Australian Supreme Court on Tuesday, was sentenced to 20 months in prison but was immediately released on parole.
A supporter of Steven Murphy, the alleged murder victim, reacted angrily to the sentence, shouting after the hearing: “Are you kidding me?”
Yandle told the court he helped his father Keith Yandle evade arrest or prosecution, or dispose of the proceeds of the crime, following the alleged murder of Murphy on February 19, 2023.
South African police allege Keith murdered father-of-two Mr Murphy at night with an unlicensed firearm on 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 assisting an offender.
He has been in prison since April 6, 2023 and has already served 16 months in jail while his case was heard in court.
Marco has signed a two-year code of conduct and will be supervised by Department of Corrections officials.
Marco Yandle, 20, (pictured left leaving the High Court with his lawyer Stephen Ey) was given a suspended sentence for his role in helping his father allegedly murder a homeless man on their family property
Yandle was the former vice-captain of Trinity College (pictured)
Tears rolled down his face as he faced his family after the verdict.
During an earlier court hearing on July 5, Marco apologized to the Murphy family for his actions.
“The decision I made was shameful, reckless and weak,” he said.
‘I chose my father above the law and I fully understand that I must face the consequences of that choice.
“Even though I will never be forgiven, I will apologize to the family of the late Mr. Murphy.”
The maximum penalty for this offense is 10 years in prison.
Keith, 46, pleaded not guilty to the murder charge at an earlier appearance in Adelaide District Court on February 22, after initially intending to plead guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.
Marco was vice-captain of Trinity College, a private co-educational school in Gawler where senior pupils pay up to $7,060 a year.