Teen on trial over Lachie Andrews’ death at KFC Casino

A teen who fatally stabbed another boy in a brawl at a northern NSW KFC told his guardian he was frightened and “didn’t mean to hurt anyone”, a court has heard as he defends a murder charge.

Lachlan Andrews (left, with his mother) died after he was stabbed in the KFC Casino car park on May 29, 2022.

A teen who fatally stabbed another teen in a brawl at a northern rivers KFC allegedly told his guardian he was “frightened” and “didn’t mean to hurt anyone”, a court has heard as he defends a murder charge.

A court heard tensions between labourer Lachie Andrews, 17, and another teen over a mutual female acquaintance had been escalating for days before the pair came to blows outside KFC Casino on May 29, 2022.

The teen – who cannot be identified – stabbed 18-year-old Harrison Hone in the back, and then Lachie in the neck with a knife – fatally injuring him.

He has pleaded not guilty to murder and wounding with intent on the basis he was acting in self defence and was substantially impaired due to his foetal alcohol spectrum disorder diagnosis.

The Crown argues the accused teen knew it was not necessary to stab the pair, and that his response was not reasonable.

Footage played at the NSW Supreme Court trial before Justice Hament Dhanji showed the horrific moment the fight turned deadly in the restaurant carpark.

Lachie Andrews (left) with his sister.

CCTV and mobile phone footage shows multiple teens engaging in the wild melee before – in a matter of mere seconds – the teen stabs the pair.

Lachie – shirtless and barefoot – runs around the carpark in a circle, bleeding heavily, before collapsing.

What follows is so graphic and distressing it has been hidden behind a veil of pixelation.

A teenage girl clutches her head in horror, while others – including the accused teen – flee.

Ambulance officers who raced to help from their station across the road declared Lachie dead at the scene.

On the second day of the trial, the accused teen’s guardian gave an account of a conversation she said they had after he was arrested.

“He said ‘Mum I didn’t mean to hurt anyone’,” the guardian told the court.

“He said ‘I was frightened, I was just waving it around thinking they would run away – I was just waving the knife around thinking that they’d be frightened and run away’.”

In cross-examination by the accused teen’s barrister Jason Watts, the guardian agreed with a suggestion the teen had also said “something along the lines of, I thought they were going to kill me”.

KFC Casino in May 2024. Picture: Savannah Pocock

The guardian said the accused teen had been a quiet child and was diagnosed with “selective mutism” – which she regarded as “ridiculous”.

“Did you suspect he had foetal alcohol spectrum disorder?” Mr Watts asked.

“I told the pediatrician that, and she wouldn’t have any part of that,” the guardian responded.

A number of teens and young adults who were with Lachie prior to the fatal brawl gave evidence he had been drinking before he learned the accused teen was at KFC.

“He was asking if he should go over, he questioned the group, and we said no – he didn’t listen, he ran out,” one teenage boy said.

“He asked a question whether or not he should go down, and everyone said no but he didn’t listen,” a teenage girl said subsequently.

A floral tribute at KFC Casino after the tragic incident. Picture: Tessa Flemming

The court has heard some upcoming witnesses will give evidence either as written statements, or via audiovisual link because they are too traumatised to attend court.

The trial continues on Wednesday.