September 19th 2024.
A young man, 21 years of age, is set to stand trial in the Supreme Court for the alleged murder of Hannah McGuire. In a move that surprised many, he elected to have his case fast-tracked in front of a crowd of over 50 supporters of the victim. Lachlan Young, dressed in a maroon T-shirt, appeared in the Ballarat Magistrates Court via video link from prison today. He formally pleaded not guilty to the murder of the 23-year-old woman.
The tragic incident occurred on April 5th when McGuire's body was found in a burnt-out car in Scarsdale, located about 25 km south of Ballarat. According to court documents, police will claim that Young committed the murder in the Ballarat suburb of Sebastopol on that very same day. As the case unfolded, there was not a spare seat in the regional courtroom. McGuire's parents sat in the front row, surrounded by dozens of supporters wearing T-shirts with the words "She matters - remembering Hannah McGuire" emblazoned on them.
Magistrate Michelle Mykytowycz addressed the court, informing them that Young had chosen to fast-track his case to the Supreme Court. This means that he will not have a committal hearing in the lower court. "Mr. Young has elected to stand trial," she stated. "This decision will result in his case being expedited to the Supreme Court. It's important to note that the accused's choice to stand trial is a separate process from being committed to trial."
Crystal Caruana, Young's lawyer, assured the court that her client had been informed by his legal team and understood the implications of standing trial. Mykytowycz then asked Young to enter his plea to the single charge of murder. "Not guilty," he responded. The next step in this case will be a directions hearing at the Supreme Court on October 3rd.
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