Murder of Leigh Leigh

The murder of Leigh Leigh, born Leigh Rennea Mears, occurred on 3 November 1989. She was attending a 16-year-old boy's birthday party at Stockton Beach, New South Wales, on the east coast of Australia. Leigh was assaulted by a group of boys after she returned distressed from a sexual encounter on the beach that a reviewing judge later called non-consensual. After being kicked and spat on by the group, Leigh left the party. Her naked body was found in the sand dunes nearby the following morning, with severe genital damage and a crushed skull. Matthew Grant Webster, 18, pleaded guilty to her murder and was sentenced to 20 years in prison with a 14-year non-parole period. He was released on parole in June 2004, after serving 14½ years. The investigation of Leigh's murder proved controversial, as several people who admitted to various crimes, including assaulting Leigh, were never charged. The media coverage of the murder has been cited as an example of blaming the victim. The murder inspired a theatrical play entitled A Property of the Clan, later revised and renamed Blackrock, as well as a feature film of the same name.