Luke Harding acquitted of murdering mother’s boyfriend Traynor Anton Walters at Warilla

A full NSW Supreme courtroom let out gasps and tears as the son of an Illawarra grandmother accused of murdering her boyfriend was acquitted of the charge.

Traynor Anton Walters (picture) was stabbed to death by his partner’s son Luke Harding in what a NSW Supreme Court jury found to be an act of self defence.

A full NSW Supreme Court let out gasps and tears as the son of an Illawarra grandmother accused of murdering her boyfriend was acquitted of the charge.

Luke Kevin Richard Harding stood trial through more than a week of evidence at Wollongong courthouse after pleading not guilty to murdering 46-year-old Traynor Anton Walters.

The 12-person jury retired to consider its verdict on Tuesday afternoon before delivering the final verdict 48 hours later on Thursday: “Not guilty.”

The court heard there was no question Harding, of Panania, stabbed Mr Walters with a kitchen knife multiple times, including once through the heart, in the early hours of July 2, 2022, at his mother’s home in Warilla.

However, the defence case argued by barrister Scott Fraser and instructing solicitor Harriet Skinner was Harding was acting in self defence after Mr Walters set upon him with a table leg while he slept.

Luke Harding spent more than two years in custody.

The court heard Harding was at his mother Renee Harding’s house having dinner and watching an NRL game hours before the fatal incident.

The court heard evidence from multiple people including Harding and his mother about him sleeping on the lounge before he was attacked by Mr Walters with a broken off coffee table leg

“Luke had blood all over his face, blood squirted all over the wall,” Ms Harding said.

Ms Harding, a mother of 10, told the court Mr Walters, who she had been in a relationship with for about six months, had her son in a chokehold and as a result he was “turning blue”.

Traynor Anton Walters was 46.

The court heard three chaotic triple-0 calls made shortly after 2am.

In the first, Harding yelled: “I need an ambulance please,” while in the second he said: “My mum’s boyfriend attacked me.”

Ms Harding could be heard on the final call telling the operator “my husband’s been stabbed and he’s f--king dying”.

Police arrived at the McCabe St home to find blood stains splashed across the lounge room, dining room and kitchen.

The court also saw police body cam footage inside the home shortly after 2am which showed Ms Harding, who was visibly shaken, ask: “He’s not going to be charged with murder or anything is he?”

Luke Harding was allowed to embrace his family after being found not guilty of murder in the NSW Supreme Court at Wollongong on Thursday.

Ms Harding also told police “I think Anton tried to stab him first”, “he (the accused) had no choice” and “it all just sort of happened”.

In court on Thursday, Justice Peter Garling formally acquitted Harding after the jury delivered its decision before being dismissed.

Harding went to hug his family but was blocked by corrective officers before Justice Garling told them he was allowed to leave through the front door.

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