Weston Creek skatepark: 17-year-old boy not guilty of murder

A jury has found a 17-year-old boy not guilty of murdering an 18-year-old man during a melee at a suburban Canberra skatepark in 2020. Find out why.

A jury has found a 17-year-old boy not guilty of murder following a six-week trial at the ACT Supreme Court.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was charged with murder following the death of an 18-year-old man during a brawl at the Weston Creek skatepark during the early hours of September 27, 2020.

He was also charged recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm in relation to the same brawl which he pleaded guilty to before the trial.

The boy, who was only aged 15 at the time of the incident, appeared elated in court after the jury gave their verdict

An 18-year-old was stabbed to death during a melee at the Weston Creek Skatepark in 2020. Pictured: Weston Creek Skatepark.

ACT Chief Justice Lucy McCallum described the trial as “extremely difficult” and “complex” and told the jury she could not thank them enough.

“I hope you have a restful weekend not thinking about lawyers or the law,” she said before dismissing the jury.

The boy stood up, holding his hands in a prayer position, and bowed at the jury as they left the courtroom.

The 17-year-old will remain in custody awaiting sentence for his grievous bodily harm charge.

He admitted to stabbing a 16-year-old boy, the cousin of deceased man, during the fight.

A teenager has been found not guilty of murder at the ACT Supreme Court.

During the trial the boy claimed he picked up a knife on the floor before attacking the 16-year-old.

Lawyers for the boy argued during the trial that another person in the brawl stabbed the 18 year old and discarded the knife which was then found by the boy.

Following the jury’s verdict Justice McCallum set a date for sentence and ordered a pre-sentencing report.

The boy will learn his fate on July 29.