By Marissa Calligeros
The Queensland Government has won a legal challenge to extend the 12-month jail sentence handed to honeymoon killer Gabe Watson.
He will spend an extra six months behind bars.
A photograph supplied by Queensland Police of Christina Mae Watson ( Tina Watson ) on the right of the image lying on the seafloor and an instructor going to her rescue obscured by an unidentified diver posing for the picture. Inset: Gabe and Tina Watson on their wedding day.Credit: Channel Ten/Qld Police
Attorney-General Cameron Dick appealed the sentence handed down to Watson for the manslaughter of his wife on the grounds the term was "manifestly inadequate".
The Queensland Supreme Court on June 5 ordered the Alabama bubble-wrap salesman serve one year in jail after he pleaded not guilty to his wife's murder and the crown accepted his plea of guilty to manslaughter.
Watson was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in June, to be suspended after 12 months. Today's decision means his head sentence remains the same, however it won't be suspended until after 18 months.
Tina Watson died during a scuba-diving trip on the Great Barrier Reef in October 2003 - just 11 days after the pair married.
Mr Dick, in his appeal, argued the sentence failed to reflect the gravity of the offence.He said the sentencing judge gave too much weight to mitigating factors and failed to take into sufficient account the aspect of general deterrence.
brisbanetimes.com.au, with AAP