Michelle Bright’s family confronts Craig Henry Rumsby in court
Lorraine Bright said her marriage did not survive the pain and she is experiencing “unending sorrow”.
“The only thing I want I can never have with me again is my daughter.”
Greg Bright says his precious daughter was “murdered by a monster”.
“You treated my daughter like she was nothing… disposed of like a piece of trash,” he told Rumsby.
“There is no punishment you could receive that would ever compare to the pain you have caused our family. It scares me that you disregard human life so much.”
Phil Bright said his sister was “stolen by force” and that he was unable to return to Gulgong and Mudgee as he was “suspicious of everyone and everything”.
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“Craig Rumsby stole my sister’s future,” he said. “For 24 years I have seen my family suffer.”
Les Bright said they never gave up the fight to capture his sister’s killer and finally got justice.
Rumsby’s surviving victim, who cannot be identified, said she was “brutally assaulted” in the dark and with his hands around her neck, believing she was dying.
She said she reported it to the police but dropped the case “for fear he might return to finish what he had started”.
Acting Judge Robert Allan Hulme commended the courage of the writers of the opinions, describing them as “dignified and eloquent descriptions of how these crimes had such horrifying repercussions.”
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“The loss you have suffered and the pain you have endured over so many years is beyond words to describe its depth,” the judge said. “On my own behalf and on behalf of the court, I extend my sincerest condolences to you all.”
Rumsby was arrested in 2020. It was revealed at his trial that he had admitted to both crimes when speaking to undercover police, but his lawyers argued the confessions were “simply untrue”.
The sentencing hearing continues.
With Georgina Mitchell
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