Mum’s poem to dead son
Court told man killed trying to stop gangs fighting
A DEVASTATED mother of a fatally stabbed Norlane man had an emotional poem detailing her loss read to the Supreme Court yesterday.
The 18-year-old responsible for killing Nathan Lee Gent pleaded guilty earlier in the year but appeared before the court yesterday for a half-day plea hearing before his sentencing on June 26.
The accused was 17 at the time of the crime on June 17, 2016, and cannot be named.
The court heard the accused had entered a party with a pocketknife and later approached guests, asking if people were looking at him.
The prosecutor said one guest told him “if he wanted a fight he should go elsewhere”.
The court heard two gangs then formed outside the property — the teen and his friends were armed with knives on one side while a group of guests stood facing them armed with bottles and fence palings.
“The deceased, who had not been involved in the incident, left the house and placed himself between the two groups,” the prosecutor said.
“The deceased was attemp- ting to calm the situation when he was approached by the accused and stabbed once in the chest with the knife.”
He said the stabbing was delivered like a punch to the chest and Mr Gent could not be revived by paramedics.
The prosecutor delivered victim impact statements for Mr Gent’s family — one a poem from his mother.
“It’s almost been a year since we’ve had you here,” he read. “The pain will forever remain. Not a day goes by when I look in the sky and just wonder why.
“I try each day not to cry but that’s what happens when you don’t get to say goodbye.
“My protector, my saviour, my hero.
“The compliments I received about you being such wellmannered young man and gentleman.
“That put me on cloud because I am so proud.
“Nathan you were my guiding light day and night . . . until we meet again son, rest in paradise.”
A defence lawyer said his client had been racially abused, was outnumbered and came from a troubled background.
The plea hearing continues on June 19.