Kieran Loveridge, who served 11 years for the coward punch killing of Thomas Kelly, has pleaded guilty to heroin possession and received a six-month community corrections order.
Kieran Loveridge , the man convicted of the coward punch killing of 18-year-old Thomas Kelly in 2012, has pleaded guilty to heroin possession charges in a Sydney court.
The 32-year-old was on parole for the manslaughter of Kelly when police searched his home in Glendenning in April and found a bag of heroin beside his bed. Loveridge had been just one month away from completing his parole for the unprovoked attack that led to Sydney's controversial lockout laws. His appearance at Mount Druitt Local Court on Wednesday marked another chapter in a case that has drawn widespread outrage.
Loveridge's lawyer, Andrew Sant, told the court that his client turned to drugs after becoming a parent, struggling with the shame and guilt of having killed another young man.
'The birth of his young child seemed to be a catalyst for an acute period of shame and guilt ... having taken that opportunity from that young man,' Sant said. Despite the serious nature of the charges, Loveridge avoided a jail sentence and was instead placed on a six-month community corrections order, with a condition to continue medical treatment for drug abuse.
The court heard that Loveridge's drug use began after his child was born, as he grappled with the reality that Thomas Kelly would never have the same opportunity. The decision has sparked criticism, particularly from the victim's family and government officials. NSW Premier Chris Minns expressed understanding for the victim's families, saying they would be 'very worried and horrified by this decision.
' Earlier this year, the state government attempted to extend Loveridge's supervision order for the manslaughter sentence, but the application was rejected. Thomas Kelly's mother, Kathy, previously expressed incomprehension over her son's death, saying he lost his life for nothing. Loveridge served 11 years in prison for the 2012 attack, which occurred in Kings Cross and prompted the introduction of strict lockout laws in Sydney's nightlife districts
Kieran Loveridge Thomas Kelly Heroin Charges Coward Punch Parole
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Notorious one-punch killer hit with new drug chargeKieran Loveridge spent more than a decade in jail for killing Thomas Kelly in a case that sparked Sydney’s controversial lockout laws.
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