Beach murderer’s sentence reopened over parole error
A man sentenced to at least 25 years in prison for killing a young woman on an isolated beach has had his sentence reopened to correct an error.
Rajwinder Singh was found guilty on Monday following a retrial in the Cairns Supreme Court over the murder of Toyah Cordingley.
Singh, 41, stabbed Ms Cordingley multiple times and slit her throat on a beach in northern Queensland on October 21, 2018, before fleeing to India and hiding for years.
On Tuesday, Singh was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 25 years until he becomes eligible for parole.
Judge Lincoln Crowley reopened Singh’s sentence on Thursday after failing to set a date for when the convicted killer could apply for parole.
“The purpose of this is to correct the negligence in setting a date rather than a time period,” Judge Crowley said. he said.
He set his parole eligibility date as March 1, 2048.
Singh appeared in the Supreme Court in Brisbane via video link, sporting the same long beard he has had at both of his hearings, wearing a blue suit and a white shirt with a turban.
He said nothing during the brief sentence’s reopening.
Ms Cordingley, 24, was found half-buried in the dunes at Wangetti Beach, north of Cairns, by her father a day after she failed to return after walking her dog.
Singh’s attorney and lead prosecutor, Nathan Crane, did not object to the parole date.
Mr Crane apologized for not raising the issue of history at the original sentencing.
In sentencing in Cairns, Judge Crowley said Singh had killed a stranger in an “extremely violent and incomprehensible” manner.
“You ran away like a coward,” Judge Crowley said.
“You left without even saying a proper goodbye to your wife, your parents, your children, showing that your only concern was saving your own life.”
In late 2022, Queensland Police offered a record $1 million reward for information leading to Singh’s location and arrest.
Weeks later, Singh was arrested in New Delhi and extradited to Australia to face murder charges in March 2023.
Singh’s first trial ended with a hung jury eight months ago.
