Wild scenes after private school captain Marco Yandle learns his fate over alleged murder of homeless man: 'Are you kidding me?'
- Marco Yandle was given a suspended sentence
- He pleaded guilty to helping his dad in alleged murder
- READ MORE: Two men charged after father's body found inside a bunker
The former vice-captain of a private school has been released from prison and given a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to helping his father in the alleged murder of a homeless man on their family property.
Marco Yandle appeared in the South Australian Supreme Court on Tuesday and was given 20 months in prison but, because he has already been behind bars for 16 months while awaiting his fate, he was immediately released from custody on a suspended sentence.
A supporter of Steven Murphy, the alleged murder victim, reacted with fury to the sentence, crying out 'are you f**king kidding me' after the hearing had ended.
Yandle admitted he helped his father Keith Yandle escape apprehension or prosecution, or to dispose of proceeds of the offence, following Mr Murphy's alleged murder on February 19, 2023.
SA Police allege Keith killed Mr Murphy, a father of two, with an unlicensed firearm on a Kudla property in Adelaide's outer northern suburbs.
Marco, 20, was initially charged with murder alongside his father, but the police downgraded the charges to assisting an offender.
He has been in prison since April 6, 2023 while his case progressed through the courts.
Marco, who had been vice-captain of Trinity College, signed a two-year good behaviour bond on Tuesday and will be supervised by Department of Corrections officers.
Marco Yandle,20, (pictured left, leaving the Supreme Court with his Defence 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 ran down his face as he faced his family after the sentence.
Speaking at an earlier court appearance on July 5, Marco apologised directly to the Murphy family for his actions.
'The decision I made was shameful, reckless and weak,' he said.
'I chose my father over the law, and I completely understand I must face the consequences of that choice.
'Even if I am never forgiven, I will forever extend my apologies to the family of the deceased Mr Murphy.'
The maximum punishment for the offence is 10 years in prison.
Keith, 46, appeared at Adelaide Magistrates Court on February 22 and pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder, having sought to plead guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.
Marco was the vice-captain of Trinity College, a private co-ed school in Gawler that charges up to $7060 a year for senior school students.
