Kye Aylward, 47, guilty of accessory after fact following stabbing death of Casino teen Ned Gronow

The dad of the young man accused of stabbing much-loved North Coast 17-year-old Ned Gronow to death has pleaded guilty to helping his son following the alleged slaying. Here’s the latest.

Picture: Kye Douglas Aylward

The father of a young man charged with brutally stabbing North Coast teenager Ned Gronow to death has conceded to assisting his son following the alleged murder.

Kye Douglas Aylward, 47, of Ulmarra has pleaded guilty at Lismore Local Court to accessory after the fact to the murder of Ned Gronow, court documents show.

Kye Aylward, 47, leaving Casino Local Court in 2022.

The plea came on February 28 and a charge of concealing a serious indictable offence was dismissed.

Police allege son Rayne William Aylward, 19, visited Ned’s Casino home in the early hours of June 25, 2022 and plunged a knife into the 17-year-old’s neck.

Tributes flowed thick and fast following much-loved Casino teen Ned Gronow’s death. Picture: Supplied

The younger Aylward, previously refused bail, has not put any official pleas on record, according to documents and court spokespeople.

In a Facebook group calling for “#Justiceforned”, Ned’s mum Julie Gronow spoke about the difficulties of the proceedings and said her son’s death “cuts deep into the hearts of all who loved him”.

Rayne Aylward. Picture: Facebook

She said the thought of future court appearances “stirs a whirlwind of emotions – anger, grief and a desperate plea for justice”.

“ … let us band together, fuelled by our unwavering determination to demand nothing less than #JusticeForNed,” Ms Gronow wrote.

Rayne Aylward

Emergency services were called to the McDougall St property about 1.20am and found Ned suffering critical injuries.

Tragically, it came less than a month after the separate stabbing death of Canberra’s Lachlan ‘Lachie’ Andrews, 17, at a busy Casino KFC restaurant.

Rayne Aylward. Picture: Facebook

Aaron John Pocklington, now 20, has pleaded not guilty to charges of affray and using an offensive weapon in company with intent to commit an indictable offence.

In Ned’s case, his parents were home at the time of the alleged attack while he was sleeping. Police have not yet said in court what is alleged to have occurred beforehand.

Ned was allegedly murdered at a property on McDougall St, Casino.

The prosecution previously told the court Kye Aylward, who remains on bail, knew his son murdered Ned, and protected him between June 25 and June 27, 2022.

The case has been adjourned to the Supreme Court on May 3.

Lismore Court House.

The Aylwards have links to the Coffs Coast, as well as the Northern Rivers.

Rayne Aylward’s friend Tanner Park has also been charged with concealing a serious indictable offence.

He has entered a not guilty plea and is due to face Lismore Local Court on Wednesday.

Originally published as Kye Aylward, 47, guilty of accessory after fact following stabbing death of Casino teen Ned Gronow