A man sentenced for his role in the brutal killing of a Stockton resident, who was stabbed and left to die before his unit was set ablaze, is now challenging his prison term.
The Fatal Night in Stockton
In the early hours of July 26, 2021, a violent attack unfolded inside a unit on Fullerton Street in Stockton. Graham Cameron, a 54-year-old man, was savagely stabbed in his own home. The violence escalated rapidly, resulting in Mr Cameron being stabbed three times in the neck and back.
Dalton Trent Oliver, then 22, was present during the attack. The court heard that Oliver, who had only recently met Mr Cameron and was allowed to stay at his unit, did nothing to intervene or help the dying man.
A Callous Cover-Up
As Mr Cameron lay fatally wounded, Oliver and a juvenile accomplice set fire to the unit in a deliberate attempt to destroy evidence of the crime. The blaze caused significant damage and placed residents in neighbouring units at risk.
The fire initially misled investigators, with firefighters discovering the body and assuming Mr Cameron had died from smoke inhalation. It was only days later that an autopsy revealed the horrifying truth: Mr Cameron had suffered fatal stab wounds before the fire was ever lit.
Legal Proceedings and Appeal
In 2024, Dalton Oliver, now 26, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and intentionally damaging property by fire. He was sentenced in the Supreme Court to a maximum of 11 years in prison, with a non-parole period of seven years.
The sentencing judge described Oliver as a 'damaged person' with a deeply troubled background, a history of mental illness, drug addiction, and violence. The court noted his concerning lack of remorse for the crimes.
This sentence means Oliver will not be eligible for parole until October 2029. However, his lawyers have since lodged an appeal against the severity of the sentence. A hearing in the Court of Criminal Appeal is scheduled for December.
Oliver remains the only person ever charged in connection with Mr Cameron's death. The court was told there was 'no realistic prospect' of the juvenile involved in the stabbing being charged. The motive for the attack remains unclear more than four years after the tragic event.
