Scott Johnson was an American maths genius in Australia studying for his PhD at the Australian National University. Photo / NSW Police
Scott Johnson was an American maths genius in Australia studying for his PhD at the Australian National University. Photo / NSW Police
The man who murdered an American mathematician at a gay beat on Sydney's northern beaches and kept it a secret for more than three decades has been sentenced to eight years and three months behind bars.
Scott Phillip White, 51, met Scott Johnson for drinks at the Brighton Hotel in Manly in December 1988 before the pair went to North Head, a location where men met for sex.
Court documents state White told police he met Johnson "through some friends of his".
"Then he wanted to come up here [to North Head] so we come up," White said.
"I think we had a fight … that's all I can remember … he fell.
Police initially believed Johnson took his own life and the case went cold for decades, despite his family advocating for further investigation and multiple inquests being held.
It wasn't until 2017 that an inquest found Johnson died as the result of an act of another person.
Police interviewed White in 2020 after his ex-wife Helen tipped off authorities.
She told the NSW Supreme Court on Monday that White often bragged about bashing gay men and referred to Johnson as a "girly looking poofter".
When police spoke to White in March 2020 he denied targeting gay men and said "no I'm gay myself", court documents state.
Detective Sergeant John Breda, Detective Chief Inspector Peter Yeomans and Detective Senior Constable Tim Carey arrested Scott Phillip White. Photo / NSW Police
White, a father of six, said his sexuality was his biggest secret "cause my brother hates gays … my family hates gays".
"We used to go poofter bashing," White said.
Court documents state White could not recall if he was intimate with Johnson.
"I hit him," White said.
"He hit me. He stumbled back. I went to grab him and he … just stumbled back."
After his arrest in May 2020, White changed his story and told the police "I didn't push the bloke, cause I didn't know the bloke".
Initially White indicated he would plead not guilty to murder, but in January he changed his plea to guilty and was convicted.
On Tuesday Justice Helen Wilson sentenced White to a 12-year and seven month term of imprisonment, with a non-parole period of eight years and three months, backdated to when he first entered custody in May 2020.
He has lodged an appeal against the conviction which will be dealt with by the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal later this year.
