Mark Peckham, 39, has been sentenced to 24 years in prison with a non-parole period of 17 years and six months for the murder of 41-year-old George Kirk. The sentencing was handed down on Monday, July 27, 2026, by Justice Nicholas Chen at the Supreme Court in Orange, Australia.

The murder occurred on August 16, 2023, at a home on Margaret Crescent in Dubbo, Western New South Wales. Peckham and another man entered the home in the middle of the night demanding drugs. When George Kirk and his partner, Tammy Antaw, denied the presence of drugs, a fight ensued, during which Kirk was stabbed multiple times.

Tammy Antaw testified that she saw Peckham deliver the fatal stab wound beneath Kirk's left armpit, puncturing his lung. She also recounted seeing Peckham stab Kirk twice, after which Kirk asked, "What are you trying to do? Are you trying to kill me?" Another occupant of the home called Triple Zero (000), but Kirk could not be revived.

The court determined Peckham, not his co-accused, delivered the fatal wound based on Antaw's eyewitness account and statements Peckham made after the crime. Peckham's sister described him as feeling like a son due to their age difference, and the court noted his anger issues indicated a need for psychological intervention rather than increased deterrence.

Since Kirk's death, those close to him have expressed deep grief, saying, "We loved him deeply and we miss him every minute of every day," and "Since his death our lives have changed completely."

Mark Peckham's trial and sentencing highlight the serious consequences of violent crime during drug-related incidents in Western NSW.

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