R v [Defendant]

This case involved the sentencing of a defendant who pleaded guilty to multiple murders, manslaughter, and arson.

TLDR:

• Defendant pleaded guilty to three murders, one manslaughter, and arson.
• Sentenced to life imprisonment with a 29-year tariff.
• Case involved complex factual background and psychiatric evaluations.
• Victims included three generations of a family.
• Fire destroyed the crime scene, complicating evidence collection.

The defendant, aged 33 at the time of sentencing, pleaded guilty to five charges: the manslaughter of Denise Gossett, the murders of Sabrina Gossett, Roman Gossett, and Morgana Quinn, and arson with intent to endanger life. The crimes were committed on 27 February 2018. Denise Gossett was the defendant's partner, and the other victims were her children and grandchild.

The factual background of the case was unusual. The defendant claimed that the killing of Denise Gossett was part of a suicide pact, and that Sabrina Gossett was responsible for administering fatal doses of GHB to Roman and Morgana. He admitted to strangling Sabrina and setting the fire as part of the suicide pact with Denise.

The prosecution did not accept the defendant's version of events. The court had to decide whether to accept the defendant's plea basis or to conduct a Newton hearing. Ultimately, the court accepted the plea basis, though it expressed skepticism about the defendant's account.

The court pieced together the background from various sources, including social work records, medical reports, and the defendant's statements. The defendant met Denise Gossett online through a shared interest in BDSM. They moved frequently to avoid social workers, ultimately settling in rural County Fermanagh.

On 27 February 2018, neighbors saw the house on fire and alerted authorities. The defendant was found outside the house, distressed and admitting to starting the fire. Post-mortem examinations revealed that Roman and Morgana had died from GHB overdose, while Denise died from smoke inhalation, handcuffed to the bed. Sabrina's cause of death could not be conclusively determined due to severe burning.

Medical reports indicated that the defendant suffered from an emotionally unstable personality disorder but did not support a defense of diminished responsibility. The court considered the defendant's background, including a previous conviction for threatening to kill an ex-partner, and his unstable and abusive upbringing.

The court followed guidelines from R v McCandless [2004] NICA 1 and R v Hamilton [2008] NICA 27. It considered the aggravating factors, including multiple murders, the vulnerability of the victims, and the destruction of the crime scene. The court set a tariff of 33 years, reduced to 29 years for the guilty pleas.

The defendant was also sentenced to 12 years for manslaughter and 10 years for arson, to be served concurrently with the murder sentences. The defendant will be eligible for parole in 2047, at which point the Parole Commissioners will assess his risk to the public.

Legal representatives: Mr. McDowell for the prosecution, Mr. O'Donoghue KC for the defense.

Judicial Panel: O'Hara J

Case Citation Reference: [2023] NICC 12