A lawyer for a now-19-year-old woman has argued the court cannot rule out that she acted in excessive self-defence or was goaded when she fatally stabbed her father at his Adelaide home on Boxing Day 2022. The woman, who was 16 at the time, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to murder, a plea not accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The trial, by judge alone before Justice Rachael Gray, has been hearing evidence this month. Prosecutor Karen Ingleton said the teenage girl had been drinking throughout Christmas Day and became "significantly intoxicated" before sleeping for a few hours. Upon waking in the early hours of December 26, Ingleton said the girl was "angry" and "swearing" and allegedly picked up "a knife from the sink and plunge[d] it straight into [her father's] chest".
In his final address, defence lawyer Robert Walker said the prosecution had not proved beyond reasonable doubt that his client intended to kill her father, and there were "other possibilities" as to what happened. He said her excessive alcohol consumption led to an "impulsive, ill-thought-through decision without thought of the consequences".
Walker said the court could not exclude the possibility the girl was "goaded" by her father to stab him. "Your Honour heard evidence that he said from time to time 'do it' when she threatened to stab him," he said.
He also raised the possibility of excessive self-defence, pointing to evidence that the father had physically restrained the girl on a couch and threatened to kill her if police did not arrive. "The evidence shows that whether she did right or wrong, [her father] physically restrained [her] on the couch and said that if police didn't arrive, he would kill her," Walker said. He noted the girl was 20 centimetres shorter than her father and was backed into a corner in the kitchen. "In an intoxicated state, she could perceive herself as being under threat by the man who physically restrained her and threatened to kill her, and under threat because she was 16 years old," he said.
Justice Rachael Gray will deliver her verdict at a later date.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The case raises complex questions about self-defence, provocation and the role of intoxication in determining criminal intent, particularly involving a minor.
- A verdict will set a precedent for how South Australian courts assess excessive self-defence when a teenager kills a parent.
- The outcome will affect public perception of the justice system's handling of domestic violence and youth offending.
Background
The stabbing occurred in the early hours of December 26, 2022, at the father's home in Adelaide's northern suburbs. The then-16-year-old had been drinking on Christmas Day and became heavily intoxicated. She pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not to murder; the prosecution refused to accept the lesser plea, leading to a full murder trial before a single judge.
Key Perspectives
Prosecutor Karen Ingleton: Says the teenager was angry and swearing before she deliberately stabbed her father in the chest with a knife from the sink, implying intent to kill.
Defence lawyer Robert Walker: Argues the girl's intoxication led to an impulsive act without thought of consequences, and that she may have been goaded by her father (who said "do it" when she threatened him) or acted in excessive self-defence after he physically restrained her and threatened to kill her.
What to Watch
- Justice Rachael Gray's verdict, which will determine whether the woman is convicted of murder or the lesser charge of manslaughter.
- The judge's reasoning on whether the prosecution disproved the possibilities of goading or excessive self-defence.
- Any sentence that follows if she is found guilty of manslaughter.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 10 supported.
Show each claim
- Partly supportedThe lawyer argues the teenager acted in excessive self-defence.Just In: “Mr Walker said his client may have also acted in "excessive self-defence".”
- Partly supportedThe trial hears that the now-19-year-old was goaded or feared for her life.Just In: “A court has been told it cannot rule out the possibility a 16-year-old girl was "goaded" or acted in "excessive self-defence".”
- SupportedThe lawyer argued the court could not rule out that she acted in excessive self-defence or was goaded when she fatally stabbed her father.Just In: “Mr Walker said the court could not exclude the possibility the girl was "goaded" by her father to stab him. Mr Walker said his client may have also acted in "excessive self-defence".”
- SupportedShe fatally stabbed her father at his Adelaide home on Boxing Day 2022.Just In: “she pleaded not guilty to murdering her father at his northern suburbs of Adelaide home in the early hours of Boxing Day, 2022.”
- SupportedShe has pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to murder, and the manslaughter plea was not accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions.Just In: “She has pleaded guilty to manslaughter, but it was not accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions.”
- SupportedThe trial is by judge alone and Justice Rachael Gray will deliver her verdict later.Just In: “The trial, by judge alone, previously heard the teenage girl had been drinking throughout Christmas Day”
- SupportedProsecutor Karen Ingleton said the girl drank throughout Christmas Day, became significantly intoxicated and slept for a few hours.Just In: “The trial, by judge alone, previously heard the teenage girl had been drinking throughout Christmas Day and became "significantly intoxicated" before being taken home where she slept for a few hours.”
- SupportedIngleton said the girl was “angry” and “swearing” after waking, and allegedly picked up a knife from the sink and plunged it into her father’s chest.Just In: “Prosecutor Karen Ingleton said, upon waking up in the early hours of December 26, the teenage girl was "angry" and "swearing" before she allegedly picked up "a knife from the sink and plunge[d] it straight into [her father's] chest".”
- SupportedWalker said the prosecution had not proved beyond reasonable doubt that his client intended to kill her father, and that there were other possibilities.Just In: “lawyer Robert Walker said the prosecution had not proved beyond a reasonable doubt that his client intended to kill her father, and there were "other possibilities" as to what happened.”
- SupportedWalker said the father sometimes told her “do it” when she threatened to stab him.Just In: “"Your Honour heard evidence that he said from time to time 'do it' when she threatened to stab him," he said.”
- SupportedWalker said the father physically restrained her on the couch and threatened to kill her if police did not arrive.Just In: “"The evidence shows that whether she did right or wrong, [her father] physically restrained [her] on the couch and said that if police didn't arrive, he would kill her," he said.”
- SupportedWalker said she was 20 centimetres shorter than her father and was backed into a corner in the kitchen.Just In: “"She was backed into a corner in the kitchen. "In an intoxicated state, she could perceive herself as being under threat by the man who physically restrained her and threatened to kill her, and under threat because she was 16 years old. She was 20cm shorter than [her father]."”