THE mother of Stephanie Scott has spoken of the joy she gave her family and of the pain they will always feel from her life being snatched away in horrific circumstances by a murderer.
Merrilyn Scott bravely read a victim’s impact statement at a sentencing hearing for Marcus Stanford, who has pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact of 26-year-old Ms Scott’s murder.
Stanford’s twin brother has pleaded guilty to the April 5, 2015, murder and will be sentenced in October.
Standing in the Leeton courthouse with her husband, Robert, by her side, Mrs Scott said Stephanie represented all that was good about humankind.
“She possess all the qualities we value, and was a source of pride, joy and inspiration to our family, her many friends, and all who knew her,” Mrs Scott said.
“Losing Stephanie has turned our lives upside-down.
“What a tragedy, what a waste. It has affected every hour of every day.
“There have been many wakeful nights, haunted by visions no family should have to know.
“A day has not passed that we have not shed a tear for our beautiful girl, and for all that has been taken from her.”
Mrs Scott spoke of her family’s sinking hearts to learn that Vincent Stanford had mailed her daughter’s rings and drivers licence to his brother as “trophies”.
“The vision of them being removed from Stephanie’s gentle, loving hands sickens us and fills us with despair,” Mrs Scott said.
Read the full statement below:
Agreed facts tendered to the court revealed that Vincent Stanford left Ms Scott’s body in the boot of her car overnight before taking her to Cocoparra National Park, covering her with branches, pouring petrol onto her lower torso and setting her alight.
According to the facts, Stanford came across Ms Scott as she prepared lessons at Leeton High School on Easter Sunday last year, April 5.
He pulled Ms Scott into a room where he sexually assaulted her and stabbed her in the neck with a large knife.
After burning Ms Scott’s body, Stanford drove her car to Wamoon and walked the eight kilometres back to Leeton.
Over the next few days, he went about disposing of Ms Scott’s personal belongings in and around Leeton and Griffith.
He mailed two of her rings and her drivers licence to his twin brother, Marcus, in Adelaide.
He was arrested on April 8 after police found items linked to Ms Scott at Stanford’s Maiden Street, Leeton, home.
