Patrick Cronin’s killer Andrew William Lee refused bid to appeal
COWARD-PUNCH killer Andrew William Lee has lost a court bid to reduce his jail sentence over the death of teen footballer Patrick Cronin.
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COWARD-punch killer Andrew William Lee has lost his bid to reduce his sentence.
Lee, 34, had argued his minimum five-year jail term for the killing of 19-year-old Patrick Cronin was manifestly excessive.
But Court of Appeal judge Emilios Kyrou rejected his application for leave to appeal.
Justice Kyrou said there was “no reasonable prospect” the Court of Appeal would impose a less severe sentence.
It would be welcoming news to Patrick’s parents, Matt and Robyn Cronin, who were disgusted their son’s killer had tried to lessen what they thought was already a “pathetic” sentence.
Lee, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter, punched Patrick from behind during a wild brawl outside the Windy Mile pub in Diamond Creek on April 16, 2016.
Patrick had never thrown a punch and was only amid the melee trying to drag his friends to safety when he received the fatal blow.
Peter Morrissey QC, for Lee, had sought to appeal, saying the sentencing judge should have considered the crime in the lower range of seriousness, not mid-range.
He drew comparisons between Lee’s case and that of Richard Vincec, who was given the same sentence for a coward-punch that killed Jaiden Walker, 22, outside Cherry Bar in Melbourne’s CBD in May last year.
Lee’s case was not “as bad” as Vincecs, he said.
Justice Kyrou said none of the proposed grounds were “reasonably arguable”.
He said the eight-year sentence with a non-parole period of five years was consistent with other sentences for manslaughter by unlawful and dangerous act; and that general deterrence was a key factor in these cases.
“This was because death caused by individuals, particularly young men affected by alcohol, punching defenceless victims to the head has become a serious problem in our community, and the courts need to send a clear message that such offending will be met by lengthy periods of imprisonment,” Justice Kyrou said.
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