Two women are set to be sentenced for manslaughter after a Queensland man was ambushed by two sword-wielding men and left for dead in a pool of his own blood.

November 29, 2019

Two women under the spell of a violent killer unwittingly helped him plot the bloody murder of one of their ex-husbands, a Queensland court has heard.

The pair claim they had no idea Mark Stephen Crump, 38, would brutally mutilate Gary Ryan, 43, with a sword and leave him dying in a pool of his own blood.

But it didn’t stop Marilyn Ann Ryan, 39, and Jessica Lee Roebuck, 22 giving their manipulative lover a false alibi after the attack at Mundubbera in August 2016.

Ryan and Roebuck were initially charged with Mr Ryan’s murder but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter, the Brisbane Supreme Court heard on Friday.

Crump and Trevor Spencer, 73, were convicted of Mr Ryan’s murder on Thursday and sentenced to life in prison.

“(Ryan’s) criminality is that she knew of Crump’s plan and purchase of weapons, and assisted him … and the killing was a probable consequence of the plan,” prosecutor Danny Boyle said during sentencing submissions.

She also helped Crump prepare for his 1000km drive from their home in Orange NSW with Spencer to Mr Ryan’s home near Bundaberg.

“(Ryan) wrote a shopping list of fingerless gloves, a bennie, 10 Kinder Surprises, two packets of sparklers, methylated spirits or kerosene (and) duct tape,” Mr Boyle said.

She also helped pack Crump’s car, handing him the swords that would later be used to kill her ex-husband, and created a false alibi for him, he said.

The court heard Roebuck also knew of Crump’s plan and offered to travel with him despite knowing he had purchased weapons.

“She (also) provided a phone of hers for Crump to take to Queensland in order for him to avoid his own phone being detected,” Mr Boyle said.

Later she helped Ryan create the false alibi.

The court heard Crump manipulated and controlled the household the trio shared with his and Ryan’s two children.

“The children of the house said he was the boss of the house and told Ryan what to do and he was the boss of her,” Mr Boyle said.

The court heard Roebuck had also been involved in a sexual relationship with Crump, and was described as “being under his spell”. 

The sentencing continues.