Request for 'one-punch' judgment dropped

The Court of Criminal Appeal will no longer have to come up with a guideline judgment on unprovoked, random one-punch killings in NSW.

NSW's Director of Public Prosecutions and Attorney-General Greg Smith no longer want the courts to come up with a guideline judgment on "unprovoked, random and gratuitous" one-punch killings.

The DPP and Mr Smith asked the Court of Criminal Appeal last year to produce a guideline judgment after the sentencing of one-punch killer Kieran Loveridge.

Loveridge was jailed for at least four years for the manslaughter of 18-year-old Thomas Kelly in an unprovoked one-punch attack at Kings Cross in 2012.

Following a public outcry over the sentence, the DPP said it would be appealing against the decision on the grounds it was manifestly inadequate.

The DPP and Mr Smith also asked the court to make a guideline judgment on "unprovoked, random and gratuitous offences perpetrated by a single or limited number of blows resulting in death".

Chief Justice Tom Bathurst was set to head the panel of five judges.

But during a brief mention of the matter on Thursday, the Court of Criminal Appeal heard that both parties wish to withdraw the application for a guideline judgment.

Instead, the appeal will be heard in May.

It comes after the NSW parliament passed a raft of new legislation last month to try to curb drug and alcohol-fuelled violence.

The changes included the introduction of an eight-year minimum mandatory sentence for fatal one-punch assaults if alcohol or drugs are involved, and other proposed mandatory minimums for serious assaults.

Premier Barry O'Farrell told reporters the guideline judgment application was withdrawn because it had been superseded by the state's tough new one-punch laws.


2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Watch now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world