70th Murderer: Brett Peter Cowan  -  Victim: Daniel Morcombe, 14

Brett Peter Cowan (born 18 Sept 1969) is a murderer and sex offender who was convicted of the murder of Daniel Morcombe (by strangulation), who disappeared from the Sunshine Coast on 7 Dec 2003. Daniel Morcombe abduction led to an eight-year investigation involving various suspects, until an undercover police sting in Aug 2011 revealed Cowan as the perpetrator. 

He was charged with the murder that same month and Morcombe's remains were discovered days later on 17 Aug 14. On 7 February 2013, Cowan was ordered to stand trial. He was charged with murder, indecently dealing with a child under the age of 16 and improperly dealing with a corpse.

Cowan was sentenced to life imprisonment, (being eligible for parole in 2031) on 13 Mar 14 in a trial that attracted worldwide attention. Cowan had two previous convictions for sexually abusing children, the earliest dating back to 1987.  The investigation into Morcombe's disappearance became Queensland's highest profile crime case in the state's history.

On 14 March 2014, he was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years. He was also sentenced to three-and-a-half years' imprisonment for indecently dealing with Morcombe and two years for interfering with his corpse, those sentences to be served concurrently. Judge Roslyn Atkinson said "I don't think you should be released in 20 years' time" which could affect Cowan's prison term. Cowan appealed his sentence to the Queensland Court of Appeal, under Justice Margaret McMurdo, seeking to have his conviction overturned. His legal team argued "... that the confession elicited through an undercover sting by police was inadmissible as evidence at trial". On 21 May 2015 Cowan's appeal was dismissed. The former Queensland Attorney-General, Jarrod Bleijie, had appealed to have Cowan's 20-year minimum sentence increased. This was also dismissed.

Daniel Morcombe, killed aged 14

Brett Peter Cowan: Daniel Morcombe's killer had long history of preying on children - ABC News - 13 March 2014

Brett Peter Cowan

 

Cowan, now 51, is unlikely to be released until 2034 after serving his sentenced 20 years in jail. He has been behind bars for 8½ years. Based on the average annual cost of Maximum Security Incarceration in 2020, should Cowan live another 14 years to 75, his jail incarceration of 26½ years will have cost the Qld. taxpayer $4.637 million circa ($175,000 p.a. X 26 years½).

Questions re 70th Murderer

Should other states and territories similarly amend their criminal codes?

Write responses to above two questions on the 'Peer Reviewer's Responses to Sentences Form' Word document