No regard for victim after fall
Case against teen ‘strong’
A TEENAGER charged with murder over a Gold Coast high-rise balcony death showed “no concern” for the victim and fled after the fatal plunge, a court has heard.
Details of what police will allege was “serious and protracted torture” by Lachlan Paul Soper-Lagas were revealed at Brisbane Supreme Court on Thursday, as the 18year-old applied for bail.
His grandparents offered their Queensland home as a $100,000 surety in a bid to secure his release, which was granted by Acting Justice Anthony Rafter.
Mr Soper-Lagas is one of three men charged with murder of Cian English at a drugfuelled party in Surfers Paradise in May last year.
Mr English, 19, died after falling from the fourth-floor of the View Pacific resort in Surfers Paradise.
On Thursday, defence lawyer Michael Copley conceded the case against Mr SoperLagas was “strong” but said he was not a flight risk due to his strong family ties in Queensland. He has family living in Brisbane and police had his passport, the court heard.
Mr Copley said his client’s grandparents could offer their Queensland property, worth $100,000, as a surety for Mr Soper-Lagas’ release.
“The fact they’re prepared to put it up as part of the surety demonstrates their confidence in their grandson’s willingness to comply with court orders,” he said.
Mr Soper-Lagas has been charged with murder, armed robbery in company, deprivation of liberty, torture, stealing and entering dwelling with intent.
Two others, Jason Ryan Knowles, 22, and Hayden Paul Kratzmann, 20, have also been charged over the incident.
Police allege the trio entered the Surfers Paradise unit during a party on May 23 last
year and threatened and robbed Mr English and a friend.
It is alleged Mr Soper-Lagas threatened Mr English at knifepoint while two girls in the unit filmed the incident.
Mr English is alleged to have fled to the balcony and jumped or climbed over the railing, leading to his fatal plunge. The incident was not captured on film.
Crown prosecutor Danny Boyle opposed bail, noting there was a strong case against Mr Soper-Lagas.
He told the court video evidence captured the teenager threatening Mr English and he showed “no concern” for his welfare after the fall.
“He (Soper-Lagas) failed to call emergency services or to go down and check the welfare of the deceased,” Mr Boyle said. “He then goes on to steal property.
“He is then concerned about concealing his identity as he leaves the unit and takes the other defendants with him … they go on to commit a further offence in order to obtain drugs. It can be looked at as being quite serious and protracted torture of the victims and making demands of them for their property.”
Mr Copley said his client had completed a drug prevention course and engaged in counselling while in custody.
Acting Justice Rafter granted bail, noting he had no criminal history and ordered him to undergo drug testing and rehabilitation. Some of the bail conditions include reporting to police daily and wearing a GPS tracker.
A TRIPLING in child nicotine poisonings has been fuelled by sales of illegal e-cigarettes.
While it is illegal to sell “vapes” in every state and territory, an increase in illegal supply is behind a 300 per cent spike in calls to information lines about poisonings caused by the products in the past five years.
The NSW Poisons Information Centre said there had been 376 reports involving vapes in the past five years, with 200 hospitalisations.
In 2018 an 18-month-old baby in Victoria died after consuming his mother’s liquid nicotine.
From October e-cigarettes will become prescription-only and the TGA is working to require childproof caps on containers.