Two men to be sentenced over Alex Loane death in Ingleburn house party

The gut-wrenching grief of a tight-knit family was laid bare when a sister described losing her baby brother in a postcode clash at a house party. The teen had no gang affiliations.

Alex Ioane, 18, was killed during a house party in Ingleburn on May 24, 2019.

The gut-wrenching grief of a tight-knit family was laid bare as a sister spoke about losing her baby brother in a postcode clash at a house party.

Alex Ioane, 18, died after he was brutally punched, kicked and stomped on after a fight at an Ingleburn house party spilt out onto the street in 2019.

A NSW Supreme Court sentencing hearing was held on Friday for a 20-year-old man, known only as ET, and Suliasi Taumalolo who both pleaded guilty to affray over their roles in the brawl.

Alex’s sister Keke Ioane delivered a powerful victim impact statement detailing the void in their lives since his death.

She said the family called him “bubba” because he was the baby of the family, and had four older sisters.

Alex Ioane, 18, was bashed to death during a fight at a house party in Ingleburn.

“Our bubba was the type of person to light up a room in very hard situations,” Keke said.

“He was a rare character with such a warm, caring soul who would always put other people’s needs before his own.

“He was also so humble and would always be scared to ask for anything because he never wanted to leave anyone short.

“He was so understanding. The love he had for his family and his friends especially mum and dad and his nephews and nieces was beyond words.”

Keke said Alex was like a brother to his nephews and nieces and was often their point of contact for help with homework, advice or even good music suggestions.

She said they had been finding it hard to cope since Alex had been taken from them.

“He was the motivation, shadow, purpose and baby boy to our mum and dad,” Keke said.

“Myself and my three sisters had kids of our own and we married and moved out so it was just him at home with my mum and dad.

“We only saw it after he was no longer with us, that he was the glue … after he passed away, the house started to deteriorate along with their marriage.

Pictured are flowers placed next to the road Alex beaten to death during a brawl in Ingleburn on Friday. Picture: Richard Dobson

“My mum and dad are different people now. They have been both in and out of hospital.”

Keke said Alex was “one of a kind”, and she would not wish the pain of losing a loved one on anybody.

“He was only 18 years old with a bright filled future and he was taken from us from others people’s egos and actions,” she said.

“Bubba was never one to start drama with a nurturing soul after growing up with four sisters.

“We still carry the pain … a journey of grief that we are still dealing with to this day, like a bad nightmare but really it’s our reality.”

Inside the deadly Ingleburn house party

Alex Ioane, 18, killed after he was brutally punched, kicked and stomped on after a fight at an Ingleburn house party spilt out onto the street on May 24, 2019.

Court documents detailed how guests were told to take their own alcohol and a cover charge of $10 would be collected at the door.

Fellow partygoer Tafuna Taumalolo was part of the “Claymore Boys” gang - affiliated with “Southwest crew” - and believed Alex was part of the “Cabra Boys” gang from Cabramatta.

But Alex had no gang affiliations.

Police at the home in Ingleburn after Alex Ioane was killed at a house party.

Tafuna pleaded guilty to Alex’s murder, and was last year sentenced to at least 14 years and one month in jail.

Documents tendered to the NSW Supreme Court detailed how Tafuna, two teens boys known only as ET and were all at the party when the organisers decided to shut it down and kicked everyone out.

After they were ejected from the home, guests spilt out onto the street, where Tafuna could be heard yelling “F--k Cabra” and “South West on top” before further fights broke out among the guests.

Tafuna could again be heard referencing the Claymore Boys and marking it as their territory - screaming “F--k Cabra, this is Ingleburn, this is our area.”

He then initiated the attack on Alex, squaring up and punching him, before brothers Mateaki and Suliasi joined him - punching Alex while he stood in front of them.

An outnumbered Alex tried to push back against them, before Tafuna dealt a major blow that knocked him to the ground face first.

As he lay on the ground, Tafuna and ST kicked on and stomped on him as he lay on the ground unconscious.

Pictured are flowers placed next to the road Alex beaten to death during a brawl in Ingleburn on Friday. Picture: Richard Dobson

ET also ran to join in, and began using a baseball bat to hit “in a downward motion near Mr Ioane” but did not hit Alex during the melee.

As Alex was attacked, a woman ran to his aid and threw herself over his body, in an attempt to protect him, however, she was kicked in the head as a result.

Other partygoers tried to intervene, but many fled, fearful of being caught up in the attack. Some managed to roll him on his side, noticing he was choking, as blood ran from his mouth.

Frightened neighbours phoned Triple-0 for help, with paramedics arriving about 9.45pm.

A decision was made to move him to a nearby schoolyard, with paramedics concerned over the hostile crowd.

Tragically, Alex was pronounced dead at 10.45pm, after he went into cardiac arrest.

His death set off a months-long investigation to hunt down those involved in his death - some of whom tried to destroy evidence linked to the case.

What police would find, through phone taps and text messages, was that those implicated were scared about what they had done.

“I think I killed him. Like I think I’m going to jail,” Tafuna said to someone. “I just feel so sorry for Alex, I can’t believe he died.”

ET arrives as backup ‘muscle’

ET, 20, faced a sentencing hearing on Friday, where the court heard he had shown up uninvited to the party after he got a text saying “come ASAP because Funu’s going to have a go with some guys from Cabra”.

The man, aged 17 at the time of the party, pleaded guilty to affray.

The Crown Prosecutor said there was “some level of premeditation” when ET headed to the party with a group of other young men.

“When he first arrives at the place, he immediately takes a bat out of the boot of the car,” she said.

“The role of ET, he is actually brought in as muscle for what is going to happen and for what does happen.

“The Crown submission is that there is a level of premeditation, certainly by the time he is making his way to the place in a car full of men with weapons in the boot.”

The prosecutor said ET was banging on the fence, and shouted words such as “who’s next” which would have frightened other people around.

Alex Ioane, 18, was bashed to death during a fight at a house party in Ingleburn.

However, the prosecutor acknowledged ET did not strike Alex and, since being charged, was to be commended on his efforts to rehabilitate.

ET’s defence barrister said he conceded while his client was always willing to support the gang members, he would not have known what was going to happen.

“Yes, he went there ready, willing and able” he said.

“It can’t be said he was fully expecting this enormous melee to be taking place when he got there … it’s only when he sees what is happening he makes a conscious decision to join it.”

The barrister said ET had lost his older foster brother which led to a downward spiral into anti-social behaviour, but he was making efforts to rehabilitate himself.

“He is engaging in courses, programs, education, counselling and has tried as best he can to assist other youths,” the barrister said.

“He is extremely fortunate to have the support of his parents.

“He displays insight … he was driven by his misguided loyalty to his peers and that ultimately means his involvement with some people in this Claymore gang and he didn’t think about the consequences.”

Taumalolo kicked out of the party

Suliasi Taumalolo, 23, also faced a sentencing hearing on Friday after he pleaded guilty to affray.

The Crown prosecutor told the court while Suliasi had been invited to the party initially, he had been kicked out before the brawl.

She also pointed out Suliasi was involved in hitting Alex.

“Suliasi is only involved initially and then he moves away and then he is not part of the group of men who surround the deceased on the ground,” she said.

Suliasi Levula Taumalolo.

“It is accepted by the Crown that Suliasi’s involvement is more fleeting and he does not continue to participate when Alex is actually lying on the roadway.

“We say that the offence as it unfolded involved ultimately the death of a young man. It is still in the factual matrix that it is a serious offence of affray.”

The prosecutor said Suliasi was previously convicted for an unrelated offence of affray but had a limited criminal history.

Defence barrister Nicole Carroll said her client’s history was not an aggravating feature, and it should not deprive him of leniency, but it should be a factor in sentencing.

She said Suliasi did not kick, stomp or hold a weapon during the affray.

Ms Carroll also said her client had good prospects of rehabilitation.

“He has employment available to him. He has his family who have continued to support him … he has stable accommodation and structure to go back to,” she said.

“He will need some help and some counselling in relation to alcohol and his conduct.”

What happens next

Co-accused ST and Mateaki Taumalolo are set down for sentencing hearings on November 18.

Judge David Davies said he would sentence ET and Suliasi Taumalolo after those hearings on November 18.