A woman and her mother offered a would-be hit-man $300 and a pack of cigarettes to ‘get rid’ of her father’s new partner, a court has heard.
‘Do you know anyone or would you get rid of someone for 300 bucks and a packet of smokes?’ Leanne Loughrey and her daughter Tiffany reportedly asked a man in a Singleton shopping centre car park.
Leanne, 47, explained to the man that Tiffany’s father had ‘run off with this lady’ and ‘we need her killed.’
Tiffany Loughrey (pictured) and her mother Leanne offered a man $300 to kill her father’s new girlfriend
Leanne had tried to have her ex-husband’s new girlfriend killed before, but plans fell through
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the agreed statement of facts goes on to say that Tiffany wants her father back in her life, and that will only happen ‘if she’s gone’.
The man apparently told the women that he was ‘in a rush’, but contact them later to say that he had found a ‘mate’ willing to do the job.
The women were lead to believe that the woman had been murdered, and they met in the front yard of their Acacia Circuit home to hand over the cash and cigarettes.
But police later learned that the fictitious hit-man never touched Leanne’s ex-husband’s new girlfriend – he just wanted the money.
in Newcastle Local Court, Leanne pleaded guilty to two counts of solicited murder. Tiffany pleaded to one count. The women face up to 25 years in jail for each charge if convicted.
The court heard that Leanne had tried to have the woman killed in April 2016, telling on old friend that the loved her ex-husband and wanted him back.
‘I want her killed. I know where she lives, I can give you the address. I can tell ya what time me ex-husband leaves for work each morning,’ she told her friend.
But like the man they met in the car park, the friend just wanted cash and never intended to harm the woman.
Leanne and Tiffany were arrested after the target’s family alerted the police to the foiled plots
The woman’s family later learned of the foiled murder plots and called the police, who arrested Leanne and Tiffany on October 10.
Last week, in Newcastle Local Court, Leanne pleaded guilty to two counts of solicit to murder, while Tiffany pleaded guilty to one count.
Leanne will remain on conditional bail until sentencing in April 2018, while Tiffany is on strict Supreme Court bail.
Both women face a maximum of 25 years in jail for each charge if they are convicted.