Beach murderer’s sentence reopened over parole error
Rex Martinich |
A man jailed for a minimum of 25 years for murdering a young woman on an isolated beach has had his sentence re-opened to correct an error.
Rajwinder Singh was found guilty on Monday following a retrial in Cairns Supreme Court of the murder of Toyah Cordingley.
Singh, 41, repeatedly stabbed Ms Cordingley and slashed her throat at a far-north Queensland beach on October 21, 2018 before fleeing to India, spending years in hiding.
On Tuesday, Singh was sentenced to life with a minimum of 25 years before being eligible for parole.
Justice Lincoln Crowley re-opened Singh’s sentencing on Thursday as he did not set a date for when the convicted murderer would be eligible to apply for parole.
“This is to correct an omission to set a date rather than a period,” Justice Crowley said.
He set a parole eligibility date of March 1, 2048.
Singh appeared in Brisbane Supreme Court via videolink sporting the same long beard he had during his two trials, and wearing a blue suit and turban with a white shirt.
He did not say anything during the brief sentence reopening.
Ms Cordingley, 24, was discovered by her father half-buried in sand dunes at Wangetti Beach, north of Cairns, a day after she failed to return from walking her dog.
Singh’s solicitor and crown prosecutor Nathan Crane did not object to the parole date.
Mr Crane apologised for not raising the date issue at the original sentencing.
Singh committed an “extremely violent and incomprehensible” killing of a stranger, Justice Crowley said at the Cairns sentencing.
“You took flight like a gutless coward,” Justice Crowley said.
“You left without even saying a proper goodbye to your wife, your parents, your children, demonstrating that your only concern was to save your own skin.”
A record $1 million reward was offered by Queensland Police in late-2022 for information leading to the location and arrest of Singh.
Weeks later, Singh was arrested in New Delhi and extradited to Australia to be charged with murder in March 2023.
Singh’s first trial ended in a hung jury eight months ago.
AAP
