November 26th 2024.
A man from Sydney was recently found guilty of manslaughter following an argument about hot chips on the Gold Coast. Ricky Kevin Lefoe, who was involved in a fight over stolen food with Brazilian national Ivan Susin, lost his appeal against his conviction. The incident took place in Surfers Paradise in 2019, and Lefoe is currently serving an eight-year prison sentence for his actions.
The court of appeal dismissed Lefoe's appeal today, upholding his conviction from last year. During his Supreme Court trial, CCTV footage of the fight outside a kebab shop in Surfers Paradise was presented as evidence. The court heard that the fight was instigated by the friends of both men, who were arguing over the stolen hot chips. Lefoe punched Susin when he tried to intervene, causing him to suffer fatal head injuries. Susin passed away ten days later.
Lefoe's appeal was based on three grounds, one of which was his complaint that the prosecutors had urged the jury to consider murder instead of manslaughter. However, the Court of Appeal found this claim to be "bewildering" and stated that the prosecutor's submissions were relevant and appropriate. The judges also rejected Lefoe's argument that his guilty verdict was unreasonable, stating that his characterization of Susin's behavior was exaggerated. They pointed out that the jury had seen the CCTV footage and could independently assess the events that took place.
The court of appeal judges also stated that the jury may have found Lefoe's evidence to be unreliable, especially when compared to the CCTV footage. They concluded that Lefoe's behavior was not justified, and his actions resulted in the loss of someone's life. As a result, Lefoe will be eligible for parole in 2027.
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