SA: Snowtown accomplice loses appeal against jail term

AAP General News (Australia)
08-10-2006
SA: Snowtown accomplice loses appeal against jail term

ADELAIDE, Aug 10 AAP - An accomplice to the infamous bodies-in-barrels murders will
spend at least 18 years in jail after a court today refused to cut his sentence.

While Mark Ray Haydon was not physically involved in the murder of any of the victims,
he was present during the killing and torture of one and initially hid several bodies
in his suburban Adelaide shed.

Haydon, 47, also rented the Snowtown bank, where eight bodies - including that of his
wife - were discovered rotting in barrels in May 1999.

Haydon was earlier this year jailed for 25 years, with a non-parole period of 18 years,
for his involvement in the murders, which are Australia's worst serial killings.

In the South Australian Court of Criminal Appeal today, three judges dismissed an appeal
for his jail term to be cut.

Three men convicted of murder in the case - John Justin Bunting, Robert Joe Wagner
and James Spyridon Vlassakis - are currently serving life sentences.

AAP la/sl/cjh/jlw

KEYWORD: SNOWTOWN

) 2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.