Adelaide carpenter Quinn McPherson sentenced for ‘dangerous’ MMA chokehold

A 21-year-old carpenter has been sentenced after his friend died following a “dangerous” chokehold on a boys’ weekend.

An Adelaide carpenter has escaped jail time and will face 200 hours of community service after his friend died following a “playfight” on a night out.

Alex Robinson, 20, joined three close mates in Melbourne for a boys’ trip to see the Wu-Tang Clan rap group perform at Rod Laver Arena on May 14, 2023.

The refrigerator mechanic had been in the city temporarily for work and met Quinn Davey McPherson, who was 19 at the time, and two other friends two days earlier after they flew in from Adelaide.

The group booked an apartment on Latrobe St in Melbourne’s CBD, where they drank heavily throughout the afternoon of May 12, 2023.

They attended an AFL game at the MCG later that night before purchasing 3.5g of cocaine and heading to popular Prahran nightclub Revolver Upstairs in the early hours of May 13.

Alex Robinson died during a boys’ trip in Melbourne in May 2023. Picture: Supplied

After returning to the apartment about 5.30am, the group continued to drink and snort cocaine before Mr Robinson and McPherson began “playfighting”.

While on FaceTime to friends in Adelaide and Queensland, witnesses saw McPherson put Mr Robinson in a “chokehold” before his “face dropped, went limp and turned a purple-ish colour”, a court was told.

Emergency services were called at 9.11am; however they were unable to resuscitate Mr Robinson.

“We’re like good mates so obviously we don’t want to hurt each other,” McPherson told police after his arrest.

An autopsy of Mr Robinson was unable to determine a cause of death.

The now 21-year-old McPherson wore a white shirt, grey blazer and navy slacks when he returned before the Supreme Court on Thursday, appearing visibly upset and keeping his head bowed during much of his sentencing.

Quinn McPherson returned before the Supreme Court of Victoria on Thursday for sentencing. Picture: NewsWire / Diego Fedele

McPherson was handed a community corrections order of 200 hours to be completed over three years with drug and alcohol counselling and treatment.

Five months after Mr Robinson’s death, McPherson was charged with manslaughter; however, he later pleaded guilty to reckless conduct endangering life.

Justice James Elliot said the friendship group had a “keen interest in mixed martial arts” and would often playfight for “entertainment”.

“All of this was done in good spirits,” he said.

“However, such behaviour is dangerous and has the potential for catastrophic consequences.

“Tragically, you are now before the court for sentencing as those potential consequences have come to pass.”

McPherson (centre) kept his head bowed for much of his sentencing. Picture: NewsWire / Diego Fedele

Justice Elliot said Mr Robinson had expressed some “dissatisfaction” with his life, which involved regular partying, leading up to the weekend he “tragically” lost his life.

“Sadly, he will not have the opportunity to mature beyond the tender age of 20 … to explore the other life paths he would’ve otherwise travelled,” he said.

During the sentence, Justice Elliot emphasised McPherson wasn’t being sentenced for Mr Robinson’s death.

“Alex’s death is relevant to the seriousness of the danger to which you exposed him,” he said.

“The chokehold you placed him in was an inherently dangerous act.

“I accept you were less likely due to your age to have an appropriate appreciation of the risk.”

McPherson’s early guilty plea, minimal prospects of reoffending and obvious remorse were considered in his sentencing, Justice Elliot said.

“There’s no doubt you’ve suffered the burden of his loss and will do so for the rest of your life,” he added.

“The loss of Alex was devastating for many and will have a lasting effect.”

Originally published as Adelaide carpenter Quinn McPherson sentenced for ‘dangerous’ MMA chokehold