Three men plead guilty to manslaughter of Morwell teen Nicholas Henry

Three men have pleaded guilty to killing Morwell teen Nicholas Henry on the eve of their Supreme Court trial.

Nick Henry was found stabbed to death on a Morwell street in 2021.

Three men have confessed to killing teen Nicholas Henry, who was fatally stabbed in a savage attack on a Morwell street.

But it remains unclear why brothers Corey and Brayden Smart and their mate Abraham Abas turned on the 18-year-old they had known for years as they grew up in the Latrobe Valley.

The three have pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the eve of their Supreme Court murder trial.

They had been set to face a four-week trial later this month, but that has been scrapped after they admitted last week to killing Mr Henry in February, 2021.

The Herald Sun understands the group had sought a sentence indication from Justice Jane Dixon over what the likely outcome would be if they pleaded guilty.

That indication was accepted by the trio on Tuesday morning, where they entered a plea of guilty to the manslaughter of the Churchill teenager.

They will have a plea hearing in coming months before being sentenced.

Abraham Abas was once a good friend of Nicholas Henry.

Corey Smart pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

It was a killing which sent shockwaves through the Latrobe Valley and there has been widespread anger about those responsible.

Mr Abas, who was once friendly with Mr Henry, has attracted a big share of the fury.

“May he pay with the memory of Nicholas Henry and it haunts him for the rest of his life in jail. I can’t believe you Abraham Abas. This makes me sick,” one local wrote on social media.

Mr Henry is believed to have been spending some of his time living out of his white van, which was abandoned near where he was found severely injured on the night of the brutal onslaught.

He later died in hospital.

The Herald Sun was told in the aftermath that he feared for his safety in the period before being attacked.

Mr Henry’s sister Taylor said she still did not know why the Smarts and Abas committed the homicide.

Nick Henry with his family, Karen Henry (mum), Glenda Henry, Taylor Cameron (sister) and Nicole (aunt).

Ms Henry, 25, said the family still had “no justice” or “answers” over her brother’s death.

“It’s been devastating for our family because he didn’t deserve what happened to him,” Ms Henry told the Herald Sun.

“The boys responsible get to go home to their fiances and live their lives but Nick doesn’t get to come home to his family, we are devastated.”

Ms Henry said the family continued to experience ongoing grief since losing Nick.

“Our family is broken without him. He had his whole life ahead of him.

“Nick deserved so much more, words can’t express the enormous loss we feel.”

One local said Mr Henry had faced his challenges growing up but who possessed a good heart and was always up-beat.

“He was polite and respectful,” that resident said.

“He had an absolutely fabulous smile. He was a survivor.”