Lily Ridgeway to face trial for manslaughter of Jason Adams

A Taree woman accused of stabbing a man to death will head to trial next year after her manslaughter conviction was quashed. It will be more than five and a half years since his death.

Lily Ridgeway will fight a manslaughter charge which she was originally found guilty of before her conviction was quashed in May 2024 and a retrial ordered.

More than five and a half years since a man’s stabbing death on a Port Stephens street, a woman will face court yet again for a jury to determine whether she acted in self-defence.

In May 2022, Taree woman Lily Ridgeway was found guilty of the manslaughter of Jason Adams at Raymond Terrace on February 9, 2020, which saw her sentenced to seven years and seven months in jail.

But after she appealed the conviction and sentence severity arguing a miscarriage of justice, the Court of Criminal Appeal quashed her conviction and ordered a retrial.

This all came after a jury previously acquitted her of murder.

Lily Ridgeway will head to trial in September 2025.

Medowie man Jason Adams was stabbed to death at Raymond Terrace in February, 2020. Picture: Facebook

In the NSW Supreme Court on Friday, Ridgeway appeared via video link and looked shocked as the court heard it wouldn’t be until September next year a trial could begin in Newcastle.

Justice Helen Wilson said an earlier date in Sydney had been entertained but given it was the third time witnesses would have to give evidence and it could prove “problematic” to get them to a Sydney court, a location of Newcastle made sense.

She fixed a trial date of September 1, 2025 in the Supreme Court in Newcastle and said there was no need to arraign Ridgeway, who had already been arraigned several times with a plea of not guilty to manslaughter.

In her previous appeal her defence team said there was a failure of the defence counsel to object to evidence that was hearsay and the court heard it surrounded a particular witness’ evidence that she told police Ridgeway had said to her “it felt so good”.

It was heard there was an “oversight” by defence counsel and there was a question of “incompetence” and whether a miscarriage of justice could be proven.

Ridgeway is on strict bail conditions which include reporting three times a week and not to go within the townships of Raymond Terrace, Anna Bay, Salamander Bay, Taylors Beach or Bob’s Farm.

She has also been ordered not to drink alcohol or enter any licensed premises, abstain from drugs and not contact any prosecution witnesses.