+34
Carlo Piero Stewart died in hospital after suffering three gunshot wounds during a brawl between two groups outside a North Booval home in July, 2021.
Carlo Stewart died in Ipswich Hospital after suffering two gunshot wounds on a North Booval street in July, 2021. Three men have been sentenced over the 2021 manslaughter of Carlo Stewart, with the man who sourced the gun used in the shooting given a longer sentence than the shooter.
Tye Bickle and Kobi Wilkins were handed five-year suspended sentences and were free to leave the court on parole, while Brayden Wilson-Knight was sentenced to nine years in jail. A Supreme Court judge has ruled a man who sourced the gun used to kill another man in an Ipswich brawl should spend more time in jail than the man who pulled the trigger.charged with the murder of Carlo StewartMr Stewart died in hospital after suffering three gunshot wounds during a brawl between two groups outside a North Booval home.
Earlier this month the three men, now aged between 22 and 33, pleaded guilty to several charges, including a downgraded offence of manslaughter, and faced a sentencing hearing last week. Due to how much time has passed since their arrest, the then-16-year-old boy involved was sentenced as an adult and can now be identified as Wilson-Knight's younger brother, Kobi Wilkins. Kobi Wilkins was handed a five-year suspended sentence and allowed to leave the court on parole.
On Thursday Wilkins and Bickle were handed wholly suspended 5-year prison terms, while Wilson-Knight was jailed for nine years. The court previously heard the fatal brawl stemmed from Mr Stewart wanting to help his friend retrieve stolen motorbikes, which had been sold to Wilson-Knight unknowingly. Wilson-Knight planned to meet Mr Stewart in a public car park to exchange the motorbikes for cash, and he asked his brother and friend to go with him.
Instead of meeting at the arranged location, Mr Stewart decided to go to Wilson-Knight's home, and he brought several men with him, including some wearing gloves, masks and hoods. The court previously heard the fatal brawl stemmed from Mr Stewart wanting to help his friend retrieve stolen motorbikes.
When Wilson-Knight, who had been armed with an unregistered .22 calibre handgun, was told the group had gone there instead, where his wife and children were alone, he returned to his house with Bickle and Wilkins. When they arrived, CCTV captured Mr Stewart saying "you boys have our bikes", before Wilson-Knight pulls the gun from his pants.
A fight broke out between the two men, and Mr Stewart told Wilson-Knight to shoot him, which he attempted to do, but the weapon did not fire. During this time, Bickle gained possession of the gun, but was immediately struck in the head with the bat by Mr Stewart which caused a serious head injury. ABC News: Michael RennieBickle then fired 10 shots indiscriminately in about seven seconds, and three of the bullets connected with Mr Stewart.
Several people provided victim impact statements to the court including Mr Stewart's mother Kay Stewart, who described her son as her "lovable larrikin". Ms Stewart penned that "Carlo was my first love" and she has "been in hell" since his death. Bonita Ruben told the court the pain she felt when Mr Stewart died was "unlike anything I'd ever experienced".
His partner Bonita Ruben said in her statement that Mr Stewart was a "devoted and deeply loving father figure" to her daughter, who worked hard for their family. She wrote that Mr Stewart was "loud, energetic and larger than life" and the pain she felt when he died was "unlike anything I'd ever experienced". When handing down their sentences on Thursday, Justice Peter Callaghan told the court no punishment would change the "awful reality" faced by Mr Stewart's loved ones.
Justice Callaghan acknowledged Mr Stewart and his group had been "hostile and menacing" when they deviated and went to Wilson-Knight's home and were "intent on their own brand of law enforcement".
"The momentum towards a violent encounter was gathering and became unstoppable once Mr Stewart's group changed the plan," he said. He accepted Wilson-Knight would have been "horrified and frightened" by the group descending on his family home but his decision to arm himself with a loaded gun, warranted a harsher penalty to "denounce and deter" others from similar offending.
When sentencing Bickle, Justice Callaghan told the court although he was the principal offender and had "voluntarily placed himself into a potentially violent situation", his case was unique.
"This offence of manslaughter is marked by a number of features which has not been present in any other case of manslaughter dealt with by this court," he said. ABC News: Luke BowdenHe accepted Bickle had no prior knowledge of the gun, was not "proactively aggressive" in the altercation before being handed it, was severely injured and "scared and in a state of panic" when he shot Mr Stewart.
Bickle was sentenced to five years in jail wholly suspended and given immediate parole for two grievous bodily harm charges. Their pre-sentence custody was not declared as time served, however 270 days that Wilson-Knight served on remand, was.
Carlo Stewart Tye Bickle Brayden Wilson-Knight Ipswich Kobi Wilkins Supreme Court Shooting
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Socceroos earn Carlo Ancelotti praise after 4-2 loss to Brazil in BrisbaneCarlo Ancelotti said Australia pressed well with high intensity and surprised Brazil, while Jackson Irvine and Alessandro Circati said the Socceroos' aggressive style is by design and signals a new chapter before January's Asian Cup.
Read more »
On the Equality of All Things by Carlo Rovelli ReviewA review of Carlo Rovelli's philosophical book, which uses relational quantum mechanics and ideas from Hinduism and Buddhism to explore the unity, interdependence, and perspectival nature of reality. The physicist presents six concise lessons arguing that matter, consciousness, laws, and the cosmos are fundamentally connected.
Read more »
Three men sentenced for manslaughter in Queensland motorbike dispute shootingThree men have been sentenced after pleading guilty to manslaughter and grievous bodily harm in connection with the 2021 death of Carlo Piero Stewart. The incident occurred during a confrontation over stolen motorbikes in Ipswich, where 10 shots were fired in seven seconds. Justice Peter Callaghan highlighted the dangerous escalation involving armed individuals and masked groups.
Read more »