Thomas Kelly accused pleads guilty to manslaughter

THE man charged with striking teenager Thomas Kelly has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Thomas Kelly who died as a result of an assault in Kings Cross

THE man charged with striking teenager Thomas Kelly has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Kieran Loveridge, 19, was charged with the king hit of Mr Kelly during a night out in Kings Cross in July last year.

Central Local Court was told this morning the charge of murder had been withdrawn in place of the guilty plea to manslaughter.

Mr Kelly's life support was switched off two days after the July 7 attack on Victoria St.

Loveridge also pleaded guilty to four counts of common assault and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The additional pleas relate to his other four victims.

The Department of Public Prosecutions withdrew the charge of murder in relation to Mr Kelly's death.

Loveridge did not express emotion.

His family members sat in the gallery when the pleas were entered and clutched each other's arms during the brief appearance.

When the magistrate asked Loveridge to acknowledge his guilty pleas, he responded, ``Yes, ma'am.''

Loveridge, who appeared in court on video link, remains in custody.

He was committed to sentencing in the Supreme Court on August 2.

Outside court, Thomas Kelly's parents, sister and extended family expressed their dissatisfaction over the plea deal.

"We're here today for our son Thomas, who cannot speak for himself and will never speak again,'' his mother, Cathy Kelly, said in a prepared statement to reporters.

"Although we are here to represent him, we have had no rights or say at all in the procedures that have brought us here, or in the decision that has been made here today.''

A police source confirmed to AAP the family is not happy with the court outcome.

The death of Mr Kelly, an 18 year-old cadet accountant, sparked a crackdown on Kings Cross including bans on shots, doubles and glasses after midnight.