Paul Stephen Osborne

Case record: Paul Stephen Osborne

Background

Paul Stephen Osborne was a 36-year-old man formerly of Wurtulla on the Sunshine Coast. He was described as a repeat offender.

Osborne had a prior conviction in 1985 for attacking, sexually assaulting, and attempting to strangle a woman aged 19 in Brisbane. He received a six-year jail sentence for the 1985 attack and served three years and 10 months behind bars. During an appeal against his 1985 conviction, reports tendered revealed that the 1985 attack was committed when he was drunk.

The offence

Osborne pleaded guilty to charges including bashing, raping, and murdering two Queensland schoolgirls, Leanne Marie Oliver and Patricia Sophia Leedie.

Leanne Marie Oliver was 10 years old and Patricia Sophia Leedie was 8 years old. The murders occurred at Warana Beach on the Queensland Sunshine Coast. Osborne attacked the girls after he recognised them as girls he had attended a barbeque with earlier that day.

The girls were last seen by their families when Leanne lied to her brother, saying she had their mother’s permission to go door-knocking in the neighborhood with Patricia to look for odd jobs. Osborne left the barbecue with his de facto wife about 4pm, but she lost him after he lagged behind while they walked to their home in a neighboring suburb.

A woman walking her dogs in the area was speaking with Patricia and Leanne when Osborne called out to Patricia. They were then seen at the beach together by several witnesses. Osborne and the girls then went for a swim together; after the swim, Osborne attacked the girls.

Osborne left the beach after the attack, leaving his wallet at the scene, which aided in his arrest. The wallet contained identification and was left in the sand near the girls’ bodies.

Osborne’s de facto wife was with him leaving the barbecue, and she lost him after he lagged behind while they walked to their home in a neighboring suburb.

Osborne consumed alcohol and smoked marijuana on the afternoon of the murders.

Investigation and arrest

Osborne became the prime suspect for the murders when he left his wallet, containing identification, in the sand near the girls’ bodies.

Initially, Osborne denied involvement in the killings. He broke down only when he realised police had found his wallet near the bodies.

Trial

Osborne’s appeal material concerning his 1985 conviction included reports tendered that showed the earlier attack had been committed when he was drunk. During the subsequent proceedings for the Warana Beach murders, Osborne pleaded guilty to all charges.

During questioning by police about why he killed the girls, Osborne said:

"I don't know. I don't know whether I blacked out or went crazy."

Osborne claimed he could only remember seeing the girls on the beach. He said that as he was leaving the girls came up behind him to give him his wallet because he had left it in the sand. He said he had no idea why he started bashing the girls, who “seemed pretty nice”, with tree branches.

The prosecutor was Jeff Hunter.

Justice Glen Williams was the judge who sentenced Osborne in 1997. Justice Williams said he believed Osborne, who pleaded guilty to all charges, should never be released.

Sentencing

In February 1997, a Queensland Supreme Court sentenced Osborne to two life terms for the brutal bashing murder of the two girls. In addition, he was sentenced to 18 years for each rape.

The final outcome was that he was sentenced to two consecutive sentences of life imprisonment plus 46 years without the possibility of release on parole in February 1997.

Justice Glen Williams said the role of alcohol and marijuana in the murders should be considered by those seeking to legalise cannabis.

Appeals

The court earlier heard how Osborne suffered psychiatric problems as a result of the murders. Details were presented regarding his effect on Leanne’s family and their response to the sentence, rather than describing a separate appeal in the later proceedings.

Outcome

Leanne Marie Oliver’s father, Alby Oliver, had found the girls’ bodies in sand dunes. Outside court, Alby Oliver said he was satisfied with the sentence but stated:

"But one thing I am not happy about is that he (Osborne) is still alive," he said.

The court heard that Alby Oliver suffered psychiatric problems as a result of the murders, and it heard that his marriage with Leanne’s mother, Diane, was on the verge of separation and he found it difficult to comprehend Leanne’s death.

Other details

A barbecue was held by a workmate who lived next door to the Oliver home at Warana on the afternoon of the murders. Prosecutor Jeff Hunter said Osborne had consumed about 12 stubbies of full-strength beer and smoked marijuana at that barbecue.

Mr Hunter said that Patricia and Leanne were last seen by their families when Leanne told her brother she had their mother’s permission to go door-knocking with Patricia to look for odd jobs. Mr Hunter said Osborne left the barbecue with his de facto wife about 4pm and she lost him after he lagged behind while they walked to their home in a neighboring suburb.