Rayne William Aylward, 20, pleads guilty in NSW Supreme Court to June 25, 2022 murder of Casino teen Ned Gronow
A Casino man has pleaded guilty to murder in the NSW Supreme Court after callously stabbing defenceless 17-year-old Ned Gronow to death in his home as he slept. Here’s the latest.
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A Casino man has pleaded guilty to murder in the NSW Supreme Court after callously stabbing a defenceless 17-year-old Ned Gronow to death in his home as he slept.
Northern NSW’s Rayne William Aylward, now 20, appeared over videolink before Justice Helen Wilson at Sydney for arraignment on Friday.
Crown prosecutor Brendan Campbell presented the indictment against Aylward on April 16 – almost two years after the attack took place.
It comes after his father Kye Douglas Aylward, 47, of Ulmarra, pleaded guilty at Lismore Local Court in February to accessory after the fact to the murder – which happened less than a month after the separate stabbing death of Canberra’s Lachlan Andrews, 17, at a Casino KFC restaurant.
On Friday, Aylward was seen sitting and leaning forward over video from custody during proceedings, clean shaven with short cropped hair and a bushy ponytail.
Justice Wilson read out the charge and Aylward replied: “Guilty, your honour”.
About 1.20am on Saturday, June 25, 2022, police were called to the Gronow home on McDougall St at Casino.
Police found Ned suffering from stab wounds to the neck. Despite the best efforts of police, paramedics and the boy’s parents – who were home at the time – he tragically died on scene.
Public defender Ian Nash told the court a psychological assessment report on Aylward would be relied on during an upcoming sentencing hearing.
“I think the matter would be comfortably dealt with within a day,” Mr Nash said.
Justice Wilson said she would prefer to allow two days.
Aylward was ordered to be in attendance during a Supreme Court sitting at Lismore on July 29.
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