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Supreme Court jury finds Haydn John Sansbury not guilty of murder over love triangle stabbing, but guilty of causing harm

A man accused of murder has been found not guilty of a love triangle stabbing of a man who was on bail from prison to attend a funeral, but guilty of harming his partner.

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A man has been found not guilty of the stabbing murder of another man – who was on bail from prison to attend a funeral – after a brawl sparked by a love triangle escalated.

A Supreme Court jury on Monday found Haydn John Sansbury, 36, of Salisbury Plains not guilty of the murder or manslaughter of Nigel Lawrie in February 2019.

However, the jury found Sansbury guilty of a charge of aggravated causing harm with intent for an attack on Dannielle Smith during the brawl.

The jury began their deliberations on Friday afternoon, and returned to continue on Monday, before reaching their verdicts about 4.30pm.

Sansbury, who remains on bail, did not react when the verdict was read aloud and shook hands with his legal team when the hearing concluded.

Outside court, the upset family of Mr Lawrie expressed their shock at the verdicts, saying he was a “lovely family man”.

“I’m devastated, I lost my son,” his mother said.

During the trial, the jury heard Mr Lawrie – who had been released from prison a day earlier to attend a funeral – and Ms Smith arrived at Sansbury’s Elizabeth Grove home “wanting to have a fight” with Sansbury’s partner Susan Newchurch and her brother, Eric Newchurch.

The jury was told Ms Smith had been playing Mr Newchurch and Mr Lawrie off against each other for more than a decade.

Haydn John Sansbury leaves the Supreme Court with a supporter. Picture: Jordanna Schriever
Haydn John Sansbury leaves the Supreme Court with a supporter. Picture: Jordanna Schriever

Opening the trial, Patrick Mulvihill, prosecuting, said the tense, triangular relationship was laden with jealousy.

“Indeed, she sought attention from both of the men at times, and according to others, would play them off against one another,” Mr Mulvihill said.

After Mr Lawrie’s release from prison a series of insulting, crude and unpleasant messages were exchanged between the trio, and escalated into threats. Ms Smith and Mr Lawrie then drove to Sansbury’s home “seeking a violent confrontation”.

Prosecutors had alleged Sansbury introduced a knife to the fight, and stabbed Mr Lawrie before stabbing, clubbing and stomping on Ms Smith.

She suffered bruising and other injuries including a sore back and ribs.

Sansbury did not take the stand in his defence, but in closing submissions his counsel, Marie Shaw QC, told the jury Sansbury was defending his home and loved ones and “entitled” to remove Mr Lawrie from his property.

“This is the man, the father, the partner, the brother-in-law, there at that moment thinking ‘how do I protect the family? The home? So he comes out with a knife,” she said.

“We are entitled to protect our homes, we are entitled to protect our loved ones, we are entitled to protect any person who is being attacked from harm.

“There was no opportunity to think of alternate ways to manage the unstoppable violence Dannielle Smith was bringing to his home.”

She said CCTV of the incident showed her client had little opportunity to stab Mr Lawrie and the jury could not exclude the possibility Mr Newchurch, who she said “has the motive to hate the deceased” inflicted the fatal wound.

“Sansbury had nothing to do with this three-way relationship that’s toxic, that’s full of harm, violence and hate,” she said.

“All he wanted was to protect his family.”

Sansbury returns to court next month.

Original URL: https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-sa/supreme-court-jury-finds-haydn-john-sansbury-not-guilty-of-murder-over-love-triangle-stabbing-but-guilty-of-causing-harm/news-story/97087e14743405a1acacd5754fe34388