Lachlan Young: Hannah McGuire's killer allegedly intimidated witnesses
Lachlan Young appeared in the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Monday morning for a brief administrative hearing on three counts of witness intimidation and three counts of witness harassment.
He has not entered pleas on these charges.
The new allegations were laid in October last year but can now be made public after his guilty plea over Hannah McGuire's murder.
Lachlan Young pleaded guilty to murder mid-trial. Picture: Instagram
The 23-year-old faced trial last month over the murder of Ms McGuire, a teacher's aide, in April last year.
During the trial, jurors heard Young killed the 23-year-old at the home they once shared before driving her body to nearby bushland where he torched the vehicle.
The killer then sent a fake suicide text from Ms McGuire's phone to her mother in an effort to cover up the murder.
Young had pleaded not guilty, instead offering to admit to manslaughter, before abruptly changing his plea to guilty eight days into the trial on July 18.
The case has now been set down for a three-day plea hearing to begin on October 27 in Ballarat.
Hannah McGuire was found dead in bushland near Scarsdale. Picture: Facebook
Young has remained in custody since his arrest in the days after Ms McGuire's body was discovered on April 5, 2024.
Details of the alleged intimidation and harassment have not been aired in open court.
But according to charge sheets, police allege Young wrote and sent letters containing menaces on or around July 23, 2024 knowing that person was taking part in a criminal proceeding as a witness.
In court, defence lawyer Ryan Robertson requested the allegations be adjourned until early next year – after Young is sentenced for Ms McGuire's murder.
Mr Robertson noted no summary had been read in court on the allegations and no plea had been entered.
He unsuccessfully argued against the media's request for access to Young's charge sheets, submitting that it was 'somewhat premature'.
Ms McGuire's family released a statement after the guilty plea, saying 'no other result would have been fitting'. Picture: NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw
But magistrate Mike Wardell disagreed, noting there was public interest in reporting the allegations now that Young's murder case had been resolved.
Young will next appear in the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on January 29 next year.
After Young's plea, Ms McGuire's family shared a message online, writing: 'No other result would have been fitting. All for you Hannah, my sweet girl.'
Liam Beatty
Journalist
Liam Beatty is a court reporter with NCA NewsWire. He has previously worked in newsrooms in Victoria and Western Australia.
Liam Beatty
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