DISAVOWAL

Card 017: breach of the law “same crime, same sentence” — Manslaughter, New South Wales · Australia, New South Wales · he — 12 years, with at least 8 years before parole, she — 8 years, with at least 5 years before parole

Manslaughter, New South Wales · Australia, New South Wales · 2000 / 2000 · he — Acquitted of murder, convicted of manslaughter, 12 years, with at least 8 years before parole; she — Acquitted of murder, convicted of manslaughter, 8 years, with at least 5 years before parole.

Both cases were heard by the Supreme Court of New South Wales. In both, the accused was convicted of the manslaughter of a partner: in one case the victim was a former de facto partner, in the other a husband.

He, Shane Eugene Olig, early in the morning of 24 July 1999 kicked in the door of the house of his former de facto partner Annette Openshaw and lit a fire there with a jerry can of petrol. She died in the fire. He was acquitted of murder and convicted of manslaughter. Sentence: 12 years, with at least 8 years before parole.

She, Lynette May Vandersee, on 30 June 1999 struck her sleeping husband Bruce Vandersee on the head eight times with the blunt side of an axe. She then washed the axe, covered her husband with a blanket and the same day surrendered to police and confessed. She was acquitted of murder and convicted of manslaughter. Sentence: 8 years, with at least 5 years before parole.

The court noted that domestic violence is overwhelmingly committed by men against women and children. In Vandersee's case the court cited the fact that she is a middle-aged woman who had never been in prison as one of the grounds for special circumstances under section 44.

Machine version: /api/v1/017.json · added 2026-10-17