Foster brother who sexually abused 12-year-old schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer is accused of another crime - after serving just 16 months in jail for incest
- Foster brother of murdered 12-year-old girl Tiahleigh Palmer in more hot water
- Trent Thorburn, 24, has been charged with the burglary of a camping store
- He was released from prison in 2018 after serving 16 months for incest
The foster brother of murdered 12-year-old girl Tiahleigh Palmer is facing a new legal battle, just three years after serving time behind bars for incest.
Queensland Police allege Trent Thorburn, 24, broke into a camping store with two teenage boys at Parkinson in Brisbane’s south, stealing a vehicle load of outdoor goods.
The convicted sex predator, who was 18 when he abused his 12-year-old foster sister, has been charged with burglary, while the two 17-year-old’s will be dealt with under the Youth Justice Act.
If convicted, Thorburn could be sent back to prison to serve the remainder of his sentence for incest after being allowed to walk free just 16 months into his four year sentence.
Queensland Police allege Trent Thorburn, 24 (pictured), broke into a camping store with two teenage boys at Parkinson in Brisbane’s south, stealing a vehicle load of outdoor goods
Thorburn confessed to his mother that he'd had sex with the schoolgirl (pictured) and feared the stomach pains were a sign she was pregnant
It is alleged the trio drove a white Nissan Patrol onto the outdoor supply business on June 25 at about 8pm where they broke in and loaded tents, a swag and gazebo into the 4WD, the Courier Mail reported.
Thorburn is set to face the Beenleigh Magistrates Court at the end of July.
His father Rick is currently serving a life sentence for the horrific killing of his foster child Tiahleigh in 2015.
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Her badly decomposed body - naked except for underpants - was found by fishermen six days after she was strangled on the banks of the Pimpama River, in a crime that shocked the nation.
Although her foster father pleaded guilty to her murder, he claims he accidentally suffocated her.
In the hours before Tiahleigh died, she had been to a hip-hop dance class where she complained of stomach pains.
The 12-year-old's (pictured) foster father Rick Thorburn is currently serving a life sentence for her horrific killing in 2015
Tiahleigh's family are pictured outside court before a two-day inquest into her death
That day, Thorburn confessed to his mother that he'd had sex with the schoolgirl and feared the stomach pains were a sign she was pregnant.
From 8pm that night, Tiahleigh was home alone with her foster father for two hours.
She was never seen alive again.
Convicted sex offender Rick Thorburn is serving a life sentence for the murder of Tiahleigh on October 29, 2015
Trent and brother Joshua Thorburn told the inquest they understood Tiahleigh was killed because of the sexual encounter.
Thorburn was sentenced to four years in prison for incest, perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
A large amount of his sentence was served in solitary confinement, after he was subjected to vicious assaults by other inmates.
Thorburn was allowed to walk free in 2018 after just 16 months behind bars.
Another conviction could see him sent straight back to prison to serve the remainder of his sentence.
Asked whether it was fair to say his father killed the girl because he feared his son would go to jail, Thorburn told a recent coroner's inquest that he didn't remember his father saying that, but 'that has just been my overall guess'.
'He's my father and I believe that he would do anything to protect his family,' Thorburn added.
Julene Thorburn told the inquest her husband never discussed how he killed Tiahleigh.
'All he ever said to me was... 'what you aren't told, you can't repeat', so he never told me anything around the circumstances of anything on the night,' she said.
Tiahleigh Palmer (pictured) badly decomposed body was found by fishermen six days after she was strangled on the banks of the Pimpama River, in a crime that shocked the nation
