THE man accused of murdering an environmental compliance officer has been ordered to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in costs after being convicted of illegal land clearing – the very offence his alleged victim had investigated.
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Ian Robert Turnbull remains in jail, accused of murdering 51-year-old Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) compliance officer Glen Turner, but will fight for his release, lodging a bid for Supreme Court bail.
Yesterday, the issue at the heart of the alleged murder was back in the Land and Environment Court in Sydney, as the 79-year-old farmer was convicted of bulldozing more than 3000 trees on properties owned by his son, Grant, and grandson Cory at Croppa Creek, near Moree.
Justice Terry Sheahan said Turnbull had “not shown any genuine contrition or remorse” for his offending beyond pleading guilty.
“The defendant flagrantly disregarded the consequences of his actions, by continuing clearing in the knowledge that he was likely to soon receive a stop-work order,” Justice Sheahan said.
Turnbull was fined $140,000 for the land clearing, after receiving a small discount for pleading guilty, and was also ordered to pay the OEH’s legal and investigation costs, estimated to be about $172,000.
In his judgement, Justice Sheahan said because Turnbull was “a leader in his sector”, specific and general deterrence was needed in his penalty.
“It must be substantial enough to deter others, as well as himself, from clearing native vegetation, particularly in this area, where unlawful clearing appears to have been an ongoing concern for the community,” the judgement read.
The clearing took place between November 1, 2011, and January 18, 2012. While Turnbull did not own the two properties, the judgment reveals he had a financial interest in his grandson’s property, as he mortgaged his own farm, Yambin, about 15 kilometres away, as security against Cory’s bank loan.
Further, some of the profits from cropping intended to take place on the farms would flow to him.
The judgment shows Mr Turner discovered the illegal land clearing on December 12, 2011. In January and February 2012, Mr Turner conducted inspections of the property, including aerial flyovers.
On February 15, 2012, he told Turnbull he intended to issue a stop-work order in the near future to stop him from clearing native vegetation on the property.
The OEH alleged Turnbull then arranged for a staff of six, including himself, to continue the clearing as quickly as possible before the order was issued.
