Young man being sentenced in Supreme Court at Coffs Harbour over fatal stabbing of Lachlan ‘Lachie’ Andrews at Casino KFC

A young man who stabbed tradie Lachie Andrews, 17, to death during a frantic brawl at a Northern Rivers KFC is being sentenced for manslaughter in the Supreme Court. Here’s the latest.

Lachlan ‘Lachie’ Andrews was stabbed to death during a brawl at a KFC fast food restaurant at Casino in northern NSW. His killer is being sentenced.

A killer who stabbed a 17-year-old boy to death during a brutal brawl at a Northern Rivers KFC is being sentenced for manslaughter in the NSW Supreme Court.

The young man snatched the life of Canberra tradie Lachlan ‘Lachie’ Andrews at the Casino fast food restaurant on May 29, 2022.

He cannot legally be named because he was just 17 at the time of the stabbing.

In June, Justice Hament Dhanji found the young man guilty in the court at Coffs Harbour of manslaughter due to excessive self-defence.

Lachlan Andrews, son, brother, uncle, friend to many, cruelly stolen in a horrific attack on 29 May 2022.

The defendant faced the court again on Friday for sentencing. One of Lachie’s three sisters delivered a victim impact statement and said her family was still overcome with grief.

“I often find myself in tears. Lachie was my lifeline,” she said.

“He passed away on my daughter’s birthday. Every year on her birthday we are reminded of our loss, making it a day of mixed emotions.

“At times the pain is so overwhelming I have suicidal thoughts.”

Meanwhile, the killer faced the court dressed in a dark blue suit with his hair tied back.

Flanked by corrective services officers, the young man stared straight ahead at times, but alternated some attention between his defence lawyer Jason Watts and the judge during proceedings.

Tensions between Lachie and the teen escalated for days before the confrontation at the KFC, the court previously heard.

The 17-year-old stabbed Harrison Hone, 18 in the back with a knife before he turned his attention to Lachie and stabbed him in the upper body.

The KFC at Casino in May this year. Picture: Savannah Pocock

However, he was found not guilty of wounding with intent or reckless wounding over the stabbing of Mr Hone.

Justice Dhanji said: “The accused believed he was going to die – a belief he was in serious danger, and even would be killed unless he took action persisted after he regained his feet.”

The defendant was outnumbered and kicked and punched on the ground before he rose and set upon Lachie, the court heard.

Lachlan ‘Lachie’ Andrews pictured as a young boy. Picture: Supplied

It was also heard the boy found guilty of manslaughter suffered substantial impairment due to foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).

The teen told a woman close to him after the stabbing: “I didn’t mean to hurt anyone, I wanted to frighten them because I thought they were going to kill me.”

“I was just waving it (the knife) around thinking that they would run away,” he said.

But Justice Dhanji described the use of the knife as “an extremely serious step to take”.

He found the boy deliberately thrust the knife into Lachie’s head, neck and upper torso and “intended to cause grievous bodily harm”, which was “not a reasonable response”.

On Friday, Mr Watts told the court the defendant “bettered himself in custody”, showed good signs of rehabilitation and had not been involved in violence while in juvenile detention.

Lachie’s killer is being sentenced in the Supreme Court at Coffs Harbour Courthouse.

He said as well as FASD, the young man had anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), contributing to a decision made over a few seconds while under pressure.

“Could we expect anything else from a 17-year-old with FASD, ADHD and anxiety put in that situation?” Mr Watts said in his submissions.

Judgement was reserved and the case was adjourned to October 25.

It comes as young brawl co-accused Aaron John Pocklington has pleaded not guilty to using an offensive weapon in company and affray.

Pocklington is due to fight the charges in Lismore District Court over about five days from March 10 next year.

Another young co-accused, Lewis Christopher John Roberts, is contesting the same allegations and is due to face Casino Local Court later this month.

Pocklington and Roberts are not charged with causing Lachie’s death.