Accused Samantha Murphy killer guilty of other charges

Patrick Stephenson has been fined for driving offences after coming off his motorcycle while drunk. Photos: TND
The man accused of killing missing Victorian woman Samantha Murphy has been fined $2500 after admitting careless, drug and drink-driving charges.
Patrick Stephenson, 24, appeared via videolink at Ballarat Magistrates Court on Thursday, where he pleaded guilty to three offences.
The son of ex-AFL footballer Orren Stephenson came off his motorbike while riding it home from a grand final party about 1.42am on October 1, 2023, the court was told.
Police found Stephenson lying in the middle of Armstrong Street South in Ballarat, with his black Kawasaki on its side in the service lane.
“The motorcycle has slid out from underneath the accused, which had ejected the accused from the motorcycle,” the prosecutor told the court.
“Police had difficulty communicating with the accused due to his current state of intoxication.”
She said Stephenson could not produce his driver’s licence. He gave police his name, phone number and address before he was taken to hospital.
His blood was analysed and he tested positive to MDMA, as well as a blood alcohol reading of 0.148.
Stephenson pleaded guilty to drug, drink and careless driving. Two other charges were struck out.
His barrister, Moya O’Brien, asked for Stephenson to be fined for the offending and acknowledged he is on remand in prison for more serious offences.
He has separately been committed to stand trial for the murder of Murphy, after pleading not guilty to the offence in November.
O’Brien said it was “most fortunately” a single-vehicle accident in wet road conditions and only Stephenson was injured.
He spent two weeks at Royal Melbourne Hospital after suffering a lacerated spleen, broken pelvis, broken ribs and some head injuries, she said.
“He is still undergoing some follow-up treatment and review, and that has been seen to whilst in custody,” she said.
“At the time of the offence … he instructs me that he had attended a party in relation to grand final football celebrations on that night.”
She said Stephenson’s parents, siblings and long-term partner supported him and were in regular contact with him while he was on remand.
Magistrate Guillaume Bailin found Stephenson’s blood-alcohol reading charge was the most serious as it fell into the high range and took into account he was on a good behaviour bond for similar offending at the time.
However, as he had pleaded guilty at an early stage and was on remand for more serious offending, Bailin said available sentences in the lower court were limited.
He fined Stephenson $2500, convicted him of the charges and cancelled his driver’s licence for 28 months.
Murphy, a mother of three, has not been seen since leaving her Ballarat home for an early morning jog on Feburary 3 last year.
Stephenson was charged with her murder about a month later. He next appears in court in February on that charge.
-AAP