Marcus Stanford 'no longer welcome' in former hometown
The twin brother of the man accused of killing school teacher Stephanie Scott has been told by his hometown he is no longer welcome there.
Marcus Stanford is due to walk free on September 9 after serving his 15-month sentence for pawning two of Ms Scott’s rings after she was killed by his brother, Vincent.
Vincent sent Ms Scott’s engagement ring and a graduation ring from the country New South Wales town Leeton to his brother’s home in South Australia, where Marcus' dealing with the jewellery made him an accessory to murder.
Locals in Marcus' hometown have spoken about their disapproval of his imminent return to the neighbourhood.
Situated in the Adelaide Hills suburb of Forreston, Stanford’s former home is now occupied by a new tenant who said she doesn’t want the convicted criminal to return.
"I didn’t actually realise this was his house until the guy I get my wood from told me it was the 'murder house', even though it didn’t happen here,” the tenant told the Adelaide Advertiser.
"I hope he doesn’t come back. I’m definitely going to keep my doors locked."
Another neighbour said Stanford no longer had any connections to Forreston.
"His house has gone, his job's gone, he doesn't have any family here. There's no reason for him to come back," the man told the Advertiser.
Despite facing a maximum 25 years behind bars, for being an accessory after the fact in Ms Scott's murder, Stanford is set to walk free given time he has already served.
Stanford was sentenced to one year and three months jail, but NSW Premier Mike Baird said the sentence was not appropriate.
"When there is a crime such as this we need the appropriate justice and certainly on what has been presented that doesn't seem to be the case to me," Mr Baird said on Wednesday.
The NSW attorney-general has since been directed to explore "every possible avenue" of action to appeal the 15-month sentence.
Vincent Stanford admitted to killing and raping Ms Scott at the high school where she worked in Leeton.
He dragged her to a storeroom, sexually assaulted her and stabbed her in the neck.
He then removed his victim’s jewellery and sent her two rings and her driver’s licence in an envelope to his brother’s address.
Marcus Stanford sold the rings for $705 and burned the driver’s licence.
Ms Scott was only days away from marrying her fiancé Aaron Leeson-Woolley before her death.
Vincent Stanford will be sentenced in October.
News break – September 1
