A cousin of slain Perth man Patrick Slater has called for violence amongst aboriginal people to be addressed after five men and a teenage boy were found guilty of his murder. Â The group stood trial for 29 days in the Supreme Court of Western Australia accused of murdering the 26-year-old near the Esplanade train station in the hours after Australia Day celebrations on January 27, 2016. Â Another boy, the youngest of the group, is accused but did not stand trial.
Clinton Mead, Christopher Birdsall, Dylan Anthony, Robert Pickett, Stefan Mead and a juvenile boy were all found guilty by the jury, with some of the group shaking their heads as the verdict was read.
The court was full with some people in the public gallery crying as the jury announced its decision.
There was also a heavy security presence, with members from both the deceased’s and the accused’s families in attendance.
As a family member of the accused left court, she yelled to media, “at least we can still see our boys, they can’t see theirs.”
Speaking outside the court on Tuesday afternoon, Vanessa Brockman, a cousin of Patrick Slater, said justice had been served but called for calm in the verdict’s aftermath.
“To other Aboriginal families out there, our family isn’t perfect and violence is something we live with everyday,” she said.
“But with that said, the accepted level of violence among our people must be addressed to stop this happening again.
“As a community we need to take a long hard look at ourselves and change what we’re doing to protect our future generations.
“The murder of our brother has had a devastating and profound effect on our family. Paddy was a quiet young man who didn’t deserve what happened to him.”
During the proceedings, the court was told Mr Slater was attacked and killed in a “49 second window,” with an 11-year-old boy potentially delivering the fatal blow.
The state claimed Mr Slater was chased and attacked by the group after they armed themselves with weapons including rocks, poles, a star picket, screw driver and socket bar following two earlier altercations between their groups.
During the trial, state prosecutor Carmen Barbagallo told the jury Mr Slater was killed nearly instantly by a penetrating stab wound through his heart and chest, 25 centimetres deep.
He also suffered a laceration to the left side of his head that was so forceful it exposed his skull as well as having significant soft tissue hemorrhaging to his left leg.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for the 25th of August.
By:Â Heather McNeill
Source:Â watoday.com
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