Man convicted of manslaughter after fatal stabbing of cousin in NSW

Justice Stephen Campbell delivered a manslaughter verdict after a four-week, judge-alone trial concerning the March 1, 2023 stabbing of David Vale in South Kempsey, New South Wales. While the court accepted that Conrad Lardner caused Vale's death by stabbing him twice—once to the chest and once through the rib cage and heart—it found insufficient proof of premeditated intent. The prosecution linked the killing to a prior drug transaction, noting Vale had complained about the quality of substances Lardner sold.

During the altercation, Lardner allegedly retrieved a kitchen knife and used it to attack Vale. The defence maintained that Lardner acted in self-defence, asserting the knife fell from Vale's pocket. Lardner, who was denied bail for the upcoming sentencing, will be sentenced in November, and Vale's partner expressed mixed relief at the manslaughter outcome.