One of the two men convicted of killing gay DJ Warren Batchelor has lodged an appeal against his conviction and sentence.

Last month Mark Taylor was sentenced alongside Daniel Wade Jones over the bashing death of Warren Batchelor. Taylor and Jones were sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum time behind bars of 21 years. The trial judge said the men should not be considered for parole before 2035.

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Taylor and Jones confronted Mr Batchelor and another man inside the public toilet block at the reserve. The two men were involved in a sexual act when Jones and Taylor kicked the door in and confronted the two men. After being beaten Mr Batchelor died two days later in hospital.

Appeal noticed filed by lawyer Simon Watters this week reveal that Taylor is appealing his conviction and sentence. Taylor wants to have his conviction over turned arguing that there was a miscarriage of justice because the trial judge misdirected the jury in the legal issue of common purpose.

Mr Taylor’s lawyer also argues that his minimum non-parole period of 21 years is manifestly excessive when taking into account his antecedents, the criminality of his physical involvement in the bashing and sentences in comparable cases.

During the trial Mr Taylor gave evidence arguing that he was not present when his co-accused bashed Mr Batchelor, having chased the other man outside. In sentencing the two men, the trial judge rejected Mr Taylor’s version of events.

OIP Staff

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