Griffith man Simon Carberry jailed for manslaughter over 2020 stabbing death

Simon Carberry, 23, was late last week sentenced on one count of manslaughter in relation to an incident that occurred in Griffith on September 11, 2020.

Police were called to Sams Place at 2.30am that day after reports a man had been stabbed.

The man could not be revived by emergency services and died at the scene.

A police investigation commenced and Carberry was arrested two days later.

Carberry, from Griffith, was initially charged with murder over the man's death, but in March a jury instead found him guilty of manslaughter.

Sitting in Griffith on May 12, the Supreme Court heard Carberry was in the company of two others - Tearna O'Hanlon and Jye Honeysett - at the time of the crime.

O'Hanlon and Honeysett have already been sentenced in relation to the incident.

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Justice Peter Hamill said Carberry was in an intimate relationship with O'Hanlon at the time. The court heard the deceased had a sexual interest in O'Hanlon and had sent her a series of messages, including offers of sexual favours, in the days leading up to the killing.

Justice Hamill said Carberry became aware of the messages, after which O'Hanlon lured the victim to a location, saying she was alone, when in fact she was accompanied by Carberry and Honeysett.

The court heard the trio had planned to take the victim's car by threats and, if necessary, by force.

On arrival, Carberry attempted to take the car, and the two became involved in a struggle, however the victim gained the upper hand. Events then took a turn when the victim produced a knife.

Carberry managed to disarm him, however he then turned and stabbed the man twice before panicking and fleeing the scene, leaving him for dead.

Justice Hamill ruled that while the killing was neither planned nor premeditated, Carberry did have other options and could have fled the scene once he had disarmed the victim.

Carberry was sentenced to eight years and nine months' imprisonment, with a non-parole period of five years and nine months.

Due to time already served, the sentence was backdated to January 13, 2021.

Carberry will be eligible for parole on October 12, 2026.

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