James Cunneen guilty of covering up 2014 murder of Carly McBrideGBy Giselle WakatamaABC NewcastleTopic:Courts1h ago1 hours agoWed 7 May 2025 at 5:23amJames Anthony Cunneen has been found guilty of covering up the murder of Carly McBride. (Supplied: NBN News)In short:James Anthony Cunneen, 33, has been found guilty of helping a friend evade arrest for the 2014 murder of Carly McBride.Ms McBride's body was not found until 2016.What's next?Cunneen will be sentenced in the coming weeks.abc.net.au/news/james-cunneen-guilty-carly-mcbride-murder-cover-up/105264094Link copiedShareShare articleA jury has found a Hunter Valley man guilty of covering up the murder of Carly McBride more than a decade ago.James Anthony Cunneen, 33, pleaded not guilty to being an accessory after the fact for helping Sayle Kenneth Newson cover up the murder of Ms McBride in September 2014.Ms McBride's unburied, skeletal remains were found by bushwalkers west of Scone at Owens Gap in August 2016.In 2021, Newson was sentenced to a maximum of 27 years' jail for killing her.Newson's trial heard it was an "unplanned, but vicious murder motivated by anger and jealously".Newson is a mixed martial arts fighter and, in sentencing, Justice Mark Ierace found Ms McBride was brutally bashed to death."I found that if a weapon was not used, the offender used his body," he said."As a former professional martial arts fighter, the offender’s use of his fists and/or legs was tantamount to him using an object as a weapon to inflict the fatal injuries."Ms McBride, Newson and Cunneen met at a drug rehabilitation centre on the New South Wales Central Coast in the weeks before she vanished.On the opening day of the trial in Sydney's Downing Centre District Court in March, Crown prosecutor Kate Nightingale told jurors Cunneen received, harboured and assisted Newson.Carly McBride was believed to be walking to a fast food restaurant when she went missing. (Facebook)The jury was told that after Newson had murdered Ms McBride, Cunneen travelled with him from Muswellbrook to Owens Gap to dump her body in bushland on the afternoon of September 30, 2014.Body dumpedDefence barrister Mark Hobart told the court the case against Cunneen was circumstantial and his client played no role."There were no witnesses to this, no phone taps, no photographs, and there was not a scintilla of evidence Cunneen was involved," Mr Hobart said."At no stage in these phone calls is there any indication Mr Cunneen has knowledge of a murder … it is a big blank … it doesn't exist."But Ms Nightingale told the jury Cunneen helped his friend dump the body and helped him evade police."The accused, knowing that Newson murdered Carly McBride, assisted him to escape arrest, trial or punishment by committing a number of acts of assistance," she said.After six weeks of hearing evidence, the jury agreed with the prosecution and found Cunneen guilty.Cunneen appeared to make rude hand gestures as Judge Mark Buscombe revoked his bail ahead of sentencing proceedings next month.ABC Newcastle — local news in your inboxGet our local newsletter, delivered free each WednesdayYour information is being handled in accordance with the ABC Privacy Collection Statement.Email addressSubscribePosted 1h ago1 hours agoWed 7 May 2025 at 5:23am, updated 20m ago20 minutes agoWed 7 May 2025 at 6:13amShare optionsCopy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)Top StoriesGreens leaderless after Adam Bandt defeated in MelbourneBREAKINGPhoto shows Bandt sits with his hand on his chin.Wilson takes parting shot at Daniel in a teary victory speechTopic:ElectionsPhoto shows A man in a grey jacket and white collared shirt smiles in front of a crowd dressed in blue shirts that say "Tim Wilson".Peter Dutton lands in Canberra as Coalition MPs divide on nuclear policyLIVEPhoto shows Peter Dutton walks through an airport with microphones and cameras surrounding him.Multiple fatalities after retaliatory strikes between India and Pakistan, officials sayLIVEPhoto shows A man rides his motorbike through rubble in the darkFull-scale war looms 'if missiles start raining' between India, PakistanTopic:ExplainerPhoto shows Debris of an aircraft lie at the backyard of a house in KashmirRelated storiesMurder cover-up accused 'tried to cast blame' on others, court toldTopic:CourtsPhoto shows Photo of murdered Lake Macquarie woman Carly McBrideRelated topicsCourtsNewcastleTop StoriesBreaking: Greens leaderless after Adam Bandt defeated in MelbourneTopic:Australian GreensPhoto shows Bandt sits with his hand on his chin.Wilson takes parting shot at Daniel in a teary victory speechTopic:ElectionsPeter Dutton lands in Canberra as Coalition MPs divide on nuclear policyTopic:ElectionsMultiple fatalities after retaliatory strikes between India and Pakistan, officials sayTopic:Unrest, Conflict and WarFull-scale war looms 'if missiles start raining' between India, PakistanTopic:ExplainerJust InDoctors on the brink: Burnout, unsafe shifts, and a system in collapse Topic:Doctors and Medical Professionals4m ago4 minutes agoWed 7 May 2025 at 6:29amWater gushed for weeks before McCrae landslide, inquiry toldTopic:Landslides18m ago18 minutes agoWed 7 May 2025 at 6:15amBeloved Darwin grocer honoured at public funeral after fatal stabbingTopic:Funerals and Memorial Services27m ago27 minutes agoWed 7 May 2025 at 6:06amBudget-friendly breakfast ideas for Mother's DayTopic:Recipes34m ago34 minutes agoWed 7 May 2025 at 5:59amMore Just InBack to top