Sentence looms for man accused of manslaughter of Jesse Vilkelis-Curas

East Lismore man Jesse Vilkelis-Curas died after an attack left him with “catastrophic” injuries. Now there have been crucial steps in a number of the related court cases, and new details have been released.

Jesse Vilkelis-Curas died after being attacking in East Ballina.

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The second man involved in an attack which led to the death of East Lismore man Jesse Vilkelis-Curas will also soon face sentence in a major development in the case.

Tyrese Hickling, 20, fronted Lismore Local Court via video link on Wednesday, July 28.

He stood charged with affray and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in the company of others, related to the 2019 Shaws Bay event.

He has previously pleaded guilty to both charges.

The court heard the DPP prosecutor was ready to proceed those charges to Lismore District court for sentencing.

One Lismore-related offence ‒ an assault occasioning actual bodily harm ‒ also proceeded to Lismore District Court.

The DPP prosecutor withdraw two other charges as she asked for the same date as co-accused Bryson Larsen-Tai.

An agreed set of facts and a case conference certificate were both handed to Magistrate Jeff Linden.

He ordered Hickling face Lismore District Court arraignment on August 30.

Ballina men Heath Cooper and Jeral Milner were both sentenced for their alleged involvement in the death of Jesse Vilkelis-Curas in 2019, in early April 2021.

Non-publication orders were also lifted in the cases of two other co-accused as the case progresses.

For the first time, The Northern Star can reveal the fates of Jeral Milner and Heath Lynden Cooper.

Both were also involved in an attack near Hill and Park street, East Ballina on December 23, 2019 and faced Lismore District Court sentencings on April 15, 2021.

Milner, guilty of two counts of common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm in the company of others and affray, was convicted on all four counts.

Judge Jeffery McLennan sentenced Milner to a 15 months Intensive Corrections Order, expiring on July 14, 2022.

He was also ordered to abstain from drugs as part of the order.

Cooper, guilty of affray, destroy or damaging property and failing to leave a licensed premise when required, was also convicted on all three counts.

Judge McLennan sentenced him to a Community Correction Order for two years, due to expire on April 14, 2023.

He was also ordered to pay $2905.01 in compensation and a $750 fine.

INITIAL STORY:

The case of the tragic death of East Lismore man Jesse Vilkelis-Curas has made significant headway, as a sentencing date looms for the man charged with his manslaughter.

Bryson Larsen-Tai, 19, fronted Lismore Local Court for a further committal mention in regards to the 2019 case on Wednesday, July 28, appearing via video link.

According to court documents, Larsen-Tai was allegedly involved in an attack near Hill and Park Streets, East Ballina on December 23, 2019.

During the incident, 24-year-old Jesse Vilkelis-Curas sustained “catastrophic head injuries”.

He was taken to Gold Coast University Hospital where he died a few days later on Boxing Day 2019.

Larsen-Tai had previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter in Lismore Local Court.

Memorial for Jesse Vilkelis-Curas, 24, who died in hospital after an attack outside a pub at Ballina in northern New South Wales.

On Wednesday, the court heard the DPP was now ready to commit the case to a Lismore District Court sentence.

The DPP prosecutor told the court the manslaughter charge and a 166 Certificate, including a larceny charge, would progress to Lismore District Court.

Four other charges were withdrawn.

She also handed up a set of agreed facts and the case conference certificate.

Magistrate Jeff Linden adjourned the matter to August 30 for arraignment.