Dingle's killer sentenced | Coffs Coast News | Local News in Coffs Coast

Vinny Dingle outside Launceston Supreme Court.

SCOTT GELSTON

A 17-YEAR-OLD youth could spend less than a year in jail for killing a Coffs Coast man in Tasmania in January.

The youth – whose identity is protected by law – punched 27-year-old Simon Dingle from behind with such force the blow severed Mr Dingle’s vertebral artery, causing his death a short time later.

Mr Dingle had recently arrived in Tasmania to pick fruit to fund his planned return to Europe.

He was walking across a footbridge on the night of January 16 when he crossed paths with the youth and a group of his friends, who had just left a birthday party.

All had been consuming alcohol and after joining the group in the Deloraine train park for a short time, Mr Dingle made his way back to the Apex Caravan Park.

The group followed him shortly after, talking about hitting and robbing the virtual stranger.

“(The offender) asked one of his friends whether he was going to hit him, and when the friend declined to do so, he did it himself,” Chief Justice Ewan Crawford said in handing down his sentence in Launceston’s Supreme Court yesterday.

The powerful blow connected with the area between the base of Mr Dingle’s skull and his right ear.

The teenagers walked away, then, after looking back and realising Mr Dingle was not moving, they returned to where he lay.

The youth placed the dying man in the coma position and an ambulance was called. He left the scene with his friends when paramedics arrived.

It was too late to save Mr Dingle, who months earlier had returned to Coffs Harbour from Europe to nurse his dying father in the final months of his life.

“The deceased was the oldest of three sons and a much loved member of his family,” Chief Justice Crawford said.

“His mother’s victim impact statement made that very clear. His violent death has shocked and devastated the family. All who heard his mother’s statement would have been deeply moved by it.”

The judge said he had taken into account the killer’s age and lack of prior convictions when determining his sentence.

He said he would not send the youth to Ashley Youth Detention Order as the youth’s defence lawyer had urged him to do, but would instead impose a three-year jail term to be served among adult offenders at Risdon Prison.

The youth will be eligible for parole after serving 18 months of that term, back-dated to January 16 when he was taken into custody.