Laughing Matthew Scown freed because he ‘did right thing’

A man who laughed as he left court after walking free over the death his four-year-old stepson says he was released because he ‘did the right thing’.

Matthew Scown, 34, sparked national outrage when he chuckled outside the Supreme Court in Brisbane on Wednesday after his sentence was suspended.

Scown was handed four years jail for the manslaughter of his stepson Tyrell Cobb, who had 53 bruises and 17 abrasions from head to legs when he died.

When asked on Thursday if he thought he was fortunate to be released after two years and eight months in custody, he said: ‘No I don’t, I’ve the right thing’. 

Scown was handed four years jail for the manslaughter of his stepson Tyrell Cobb, who had 53 bruises and 17 abrasions from head to legs when he died

‘I’ve already spoken with my lawyers and I’ve spoken with the other family, so what youse (sic) need to do now is leave me alone,’ Scown said on Thursday 

‘I’ve already spoken with my lawyers and I’ve spoken with the other family, so what youse (sic) need to do now is leave me alone,’ he told Nine News.

He explained that he burst into laughter as he left court the previous day because ‘the cameraman ran into the back of the bin, that’s what was funny.’ 

Earlier his family told Seven News they felt he’d been ‘depicted as a monster’ in media coverage of his sentence and backed up his story about the cameraman. 

Australian Associated Press confirmed the family’s version of events, saying their photographer witnessed the scene.

Tyrell Cobb (pictured) was allegedly ‘covered in bruises’ and vomiting ‘green slime’ before he was found unconscious in a Gold Coast home in 2009

‘The cameraman walked backwards into a bin and Scown laughed at that,’ AAP Brisbane bureau chief Evan Schwarten wrote on Twitter. 

Tyrell’s biological mother, and Scown’s former de-facto, Heidi Strbak, 33, will face trial in three weeks’ time also charged with his manslaughter. 

Hetty Johnston, founder of children’s charity Bravehearts, accused prosecutors of going soft on Scown to speed up the case, The Courier Mail reported.

She said offenders are ‘laughing’ after a series of cases in which child killers have had charges reduced, including a man who tortured his infant daughter to death. 

‘They’re doing all these plea bargains just to move cases through … [it’s] expedition at the cost of these kids,’ she said. 

‘I think if the DPP had the resources and the backbone they should have gone for him [Scown].’

Tyrell’s biological mother, and Scown’s former de-facto, Heidi Strbak, 33, (pictured) will face trial in three weeks’ time also charged with his manslaughter

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk also slammed Scown’s laughing as ‘completely insensitive’ and said she was considering appealing the sentence.

‘I’m angry too. How insensitive for this man to be laughing after the death of his stepson,’ she said. 

Justice Martin Burns said Scown was not responsible for the injuries that killed Tyrell but failed in his duty of care.

Tyrell died in May 2009 from internal bleeding and stomach injuries caused by blunt force trauma.

While Scown did not cause the injuries he did not contact authorities or seek medical help, even when Tyrell was vomiting green bile the night before his death.

‘You ought to have acted,’ Justice Burns said.

‘From the time of injury until death every movement including breathing and vomiting would have caused extreme pain.’

Scown (pictured), 34, grinned and laughed when questioned by reporters on Wednesday, after the Supreme Court in Brisbane suspended his sentence

Scown (pictured) was initially charged with murder over the death of his stepson but pleaded to the lesser charge at the Brisbane Supreme Court on Wednesday

Scown called Triple-0 in distress and performed CPR on the boy as paramedics made their way to the Gold Coast home where the pair were staying.

‘Looks like he’s going to die on me,’ Scown told a Triple 0 operator, the court heard.

When paramedics arrived Scown told them to hurry to the boy as he wasn’t breathing.

‘He’s turning blue,’ he said.

This, Justice Burns found, was evidence of Scown’s ‘extreme concern’ for Tyrell.

‘Clearly you were very worried about the little boy,’ he said.

Scone was initially charged with murder but pleaded guilty to lesser charge ahead of sentence on Wednesday.