Key Takeaways
- Ethan Webster and William Candy were sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Jacob Ramsay, a 33-year-old farm worker in South Taranaki.
- Webster has since been diagnosed with mental impairments, including foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), which has raised questions about his mental capacity to admit murder and whether his life sentence was manifestly unjust.
- The Court of Appeal has concluded that Webster’s life sentence will be quashed and replaced with a fixed sentence, taking into account his mental impairment, youth, and vulnerability to Candy’s influence.
- The court found that there was no miscarriage of justice in relation to Webster’s conviction, but that his mental impairment was a relevant factor in determining his culpability and sentence.
Introduction to the Case
The murder of Jacob Ramsay, a 33-year-old farm worker in South Taranaki, occurred on July 31, 2022. Ramsay’s wife, Sarah Tasker, was pregnant with their third child at the time of his death. The perpetrators, Ethan Webster and William Candy, were workers on the same farm as Ramsay and had been in their roles for at least a month before the murder. They admitted to the crime and were sentenced to life imprisonment in the High Court at New Plymouth in March 2023. Candy received a minimum period of imprisonment (MPI) of 17 years, while Webster received a 12-year MPI.
Appeal against Sentence and Conviction
The Court of Appeal has since considered Webster’s appeal against his sentence and conviction. The appeal was based on new information about Webster’s mental impairment, which was not known at the time of his sentencing. The court found that Webster’s mental impairment, attributable to FASD, was a relevant factor in determining his culpability and sentence. The court also considered Webster’s youth, vulnerability to Candy’s influence, and his low risk of reoffending, remorse, and rehabilitation prospects.
Mental Impairment and Culpability
The Court of Appeal considered the reports of Webster’s mental impairment, which found that he met the criteria for mild intellectual disability, had dyslexia, and suffered from FASD. The court found that Webster’s mental impairment was a relevant factor in determining his culpability, as it affected his ability to think through the consequences of his actions and made him more vulnerable to Candy’s influence. The court concluded that Webster’s life sentence would be quashed and replaced with a fixed sentence, taking into account his mental impairment and other relevant factors.
The Murder and Its Aftermath
The murder of Jacob Ramsay was a brutal and callous act, in which he was beaten, chained, and dragged behind a vehicle. The attack occurred on the evening of July 29, 2022, when Candy found Ramsay at the Ōakura cemetery and immediately punched him in the face and pushed him down a bank. Ramsay was then driven back to the farm, where he was further assaulted by Candy and Webster. The two men beat Ramsay for a further 10 minutes, despite a witness pleading for them to stop and take Ramsay to the hospital. Ramsay was eventually dragged behind the vehicle, sustaining severe injuries, including numerous fractures and abrasions, and died as a result of multiple blunt-force injuries.
Conclusion and Next Steps
The Court of Appeal’s decision to quash Webster’s life sentence and replace it with a fixed sentence is a significant development in the case. The court’s consideration of Webster’s mental impairment and its impact on his culpability and sentence is an important factor in determining a just and fair outcome. The appeal has been adjourned until February, when the final submissions are expected to be heard. The outcome of the appeal will have significant implications for Webster and the justice system, and will provide further insight into the complex issues surrounding mental impairment, culpability, and sentencing.