Latest news with #McGuire
The Advertiser
5 days ago
- The Advertiser
Hannah McGuire: Here is a complete timeline of the murder that devastated a town
The Supreme Court trial of Lachlan Young came to an abrupt end on Friday, after the 23-year-old pleaded guilty to murdering his former partner, Hannah McGuire. The change of plea came eight days into the murder trial, after several witnesses, including Ms McGuire's parents, were called to give evidence to the jury. Preparations are being made for Young's eventual sentencing on the single charge of murder. Here is what has happened so far in the case, which has both devastated and brought together a community. Hannah McGuire's body is found in a burnt-out car in bushland near Scarsdale - April 5, 2024. A man walking his dog was the first to call in the burnt-out Mitsubishi Triton after discovering the wreckage in the early morning of April 5, 2024. CFA crews arrived at the scene in the Ross Creek State Forest to find Ms McGuire's remains in the vehicle. Ms McGuire was last seen by her parents on the night before, sharing a meal with her netball clubmates at the National Hotel in Clunes, which the family owns. Lachlan Young is arrested and charged with murder Homicide Squad detectives charged Ms McGuire's former partner with her murder on April 9, 2024. The couple had owned a house together in Sebastopol, but had separated in the months prior to Ms McGuire's murder. The Clunes Cricket Club established a GoFundMe to help support the McGuire family, which raised more than $11,000 in its first four hours. A workmate of Young's, Benjamin O'Keefe, was also arrested in relation to the murder, but was not charged. Young appeared for the first time at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court, and a statement on behalf of the McGuire family was delivered outside the courthouse by their solicitor, Brooke Tamanika. Calls for change grew in the Ballarat community, as Ms McGuire became the third woman in the city to be allegedly murdered by a man in the first half of 2024. Ms McGuire was laid to rest at a funeral in Ballarat on April 29, 2024, attended by about 600 people. Lachlan Morganti is charged with stealing money from Hannah's GoFundMe A man associated with the Clunes Cricket Club, and known to the McGuire family, Lachlan Morganti, is charged with stealing over $60,000 from the GoFundMe established after her death. Morganti used the money to fuel his online gambling addiction and was reported to police after transferring a portion of the winnings to his friends, who realised where the money had come from. He later admitted to the McGuire family that he had lost all of the money. A magistrate called Morganti's crime one of the "most self-indulgent acts of greed" she had seen in her career. Debbie McGuire called Morganti's actions "vile". "He had the audacity to attend [Hannah McGuire's] funeral, where he was amongst the very people who contributed to the GoFundMe, whose money he had gambled away," she said. "I'm heartbroken for those who financially contributed when they didn't know what they could do for us, I have faith the adjudication will be one that is considerate on our family and the community." Morganti avoided jail and was placed on a two-year community corrections order after pleading guilty to the theft. Lachlan Young pleads not guilty to murdering Hannah McGuire At a hearing at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on September 19, 2024, Young pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms McGuire. He appeared remotely in the court from custody. The courtroom was filled with supporters of the McGuire family, each wearing shirts with her face on them and the words "she matters". Young elected to have the trial fast-tracked to the Supreme Court, skipping the usual committal process in the Magistrates' Court. The trial begins and ends after Lachlan Young changes his plea The Supreme Court murder trial began on July 8, sitting in Ballarat. Young's legal team conceded that Young had killed Ms McGuire, but that the death was accidental and without murderous intent. The trial went for eight days, with the jury hearing from several witnesses. Young's colleague, Benjamin O'Keefe, is a key prosecution witness who told the court he had driven out to Scarsdale with Young on the morning of Ms McGuire's murder. He said Young had set Ms McGuire's orange Mitsubishi Triton on fire with a blow torch, but denied ever seeing her body inside the vehicle. Mr O'Keefe's cross-examination had finished on Wednesday, July 16, and the court was due to hear from more prosecution witnesses. The trial was adjourned on Thursday, July 17, due to "issues that arose overnight". Supreme Court Justice James Elliott did not elaborate on what the issues were. On the morning of Friday, July 18, Young changed his plea, and pleaded guilty to murdering Ms McGuire. Young will return to court on July 25. Affected by this story? Call Lifeline 13 11 14 The Supreme Court trial of Lachlan Young came to an abrupt end on Friday, after the 23-year-old pleaded guilty to murdering his former partner, Hannah McGuire. The change of plea came eight days into the murder trial, after several witnesses, including Ms McGuire's parents, were called to give evidence to the jury. Preparations are being made for Young's eventual sentencing on the single charge of murder. Here is what has happened so far in the case, which has both devastated and brought together a community. Hannah McGuire's body is found in a burnt-out car in bushland near Scarsdale - April 5, 2024. A man walking his dog was the first to call in the burnt-out Mitsubishi Triton after discovering the wreckage in the early morning of April 5, 2024. CFA crews arrived at the scene in the Ross Creek State Forest to find Ms McGuire's remains in the vehicle. Ms McGuire was last seen by her parents on the night before, sharing a meal with her netball clubmates at the National Hotel in Clunes, which the family owns. Lachlan Young is arrested and charged with murder Homicide Squad detectives charged Ms McGuire's former partner with her murder on April 9, 2024. The couple had owned a house together in Sebastopol, but had separated in the months prior to Ms McGuire's murder. The Clunes Cricket Club established a GoFundMe to help support the McGuire family, which raised more than $11,000 in its first four hours. A workmate of Young's, Benjamin O'Keefe, was also arrested in relation to the murder, but was not charged. Young appeared for the first time at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court, and a statement on behalf of the McGuire family was delivered outside the courthouse by their solicitor, Brooke Tamanika. Calls for change grew in the Ballarat community, as Ms McGuire became the third woman in the city to be allegedly murdered by a man in the first half of 2024. Ms McGuire was laid to rest at a funeral in Ballarat on April 29, 2024, attended by about 600 people. Lachlan Morganti is charged with stealing money from Hannah's GoFundMe A man associated with the Clunes Cricket Club, and known to the McGuire family, Lachlan Morganti, is charged with stealing over $60,000 from the GoFundMe established after her death. Morganti used the money to fuel his online gambling addiction and was reported to police after transferring a portion of the winnings to his friends, who realised where the money had come from. He later admitted to the McGuire family that he had lost all of the money. A magistrate called Morganti's crime one of the "most self-indulgent acts of greed" she had seen in her career. Debbie McGuire called Morganti's actions "vile". "He had the audacity to attend [Hannah McGuire's] funeral, where he was amongst the very people who contributed to the GoFundMe, whose money he had gambled away," she said. "I'm heartbroken for those who financially contributed when they didn't know what they could do for us, I have faith the adjudication will be one that is considerate on our family and the community." Morganti avoided jail and was placed on a two-year community corrections order after pleading guilty to the theft. Lachlan Young pleads not guilty to murdering Hannah McGuire At a hearing at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on September 19, 2024, Young pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms McGuire. He appeared remotely in the court from custody. The courtroom was filled with supporters of the McGuire family, each wearing shirts with her face on them and the words "she matters". Young elected to have the trial fast-tracked to the Supreme Court, skipping the usual committal process in the Magistrates' Court. The trial begins and ends after Lachlan Young changes his plea The Supreme Court murder trial began on July 8, sitting in Ballarat. Young's legal team conceded that Young had killed Ms McGuire, but that the death was accidental and without murderous intent. The trial went for eight days, with the jury hearing from several witnesses. Young's colleague, Benjamin O'Keefe, is a key prosecution witness who told the court he had driven out to Scarsdale with Young on the morning of Ms McGuire's murder. He said Young had set Ms McGuire's orange Mitsubishi Triton on fire with a blow torch, but denied ever seeing her body inside the vehicle. Mr O'Keefe's cross-examination had finished on Wednesday, July 16, and the court was due to hear from more prosecution witnesses. The trial was adjourned on Thursday, July 17, due to "issues that arose overnight". Supreme Court Justice James Elliott did not elaborate on what the issues were. On the morning of Friday, July 18, Young changed his plea, and pleaded guilty to murdering Ms McGuire. Young will return to court on July 25. Affected by this story? Call Lifeline 13 11 14 The Supreme Court trial of Lachlan Young came to an abrupt end on Friday, after the 23-year-old pleaded guilty to murdering his former partner, Hannah McGuire. The change of plea came eight days into the murder trial, after several witnesses, including Ms McGuire's parents, were called to give evidence to the jury. Preparations are being made for Young's eventual sentencing on the single charge of murder. Here is what has happened so far in the case, which has both devastated and brought together a community. Hannah McGuire's body is found in a burnt-out car in bushland near Scarsdale - April 5, 2024. A man walking his dog was the first to call in the burnt-out Mitsubishi Triton after discovering the wreckage in the early morning of April 5, 2024. CFA crews arrived at the scene in the Ross Creek State Forest to find Ms McGuire's remains in the vehicle. Ms McGuire was last seen by her parents on the night before, sharing a meal with her netball clubmates at the National Hotel in Clunes, which the family owns. Lachlan Young is arrested and charged with murder Homicide Squad detectives charged Ms McGuire's former partner with her murder on April 9, 2024. The couple had owned a house together in Sebastopol, but had separated in the months prior to Ms McGuire's murder. The Clunes Cricket Club established a GoFundMe to help support the McGuire family, which raised more than $11,000 in its first four hours. A workmate of Young's, Benjamin O'Keefe, was also arrested in relation to the murder, but was not charged. Young appeared for the first time at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court, and a statement on behalf of the McGuire family was delivered outside the courthouse by their solicitor, Brooke Tamanika. Calls for change grew in the Ballarat community, as Ms McGuire became the third woman in the city to be allegedly murdered by a man in the first half of 2024. Ms McGuire was laid to rest at a funeral in Ballarat on April 29, 2024, attended by about 600 people. Lachlan Morganti is charged with stealing money from Hannah's GoFundMe A man associated with the Clunes Cricket Club, and known to the McGuire family, Lachlan Morganti, is charged with stealing over $60,000 from the GoFundMe established after her death. Morganti used the money to fuel his online gambling addiction and was reported to police after transferring a portion of the winnings to his friends, who realised where the money had come from. He later admitted to the McGuire family that he had lost all of the money. A magistrate called Morganti's crime one of the "most self-indulgent acts of greed" she had seen in her career. Debbie McGuire called Morganti's actions "vile". "He had the audacity to attend [Hannah McGuire's] funeral, where he was amongst the very people who contributed to the GoFundMe, whose money he had gambled away," she said. "I'm heartbroken for those who financially contributed when they didn't know what they could do for us, I have faith the adjudication will be one that is considerate on our family and the community." Morganti avoided jail and was placed on a two-year community corrections order after pleading guilty to the theft. Lachlan Young pleads not guilty to murdering Hannah McGuire At a hearing at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on September 19, 2024, Young pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms McGuire. He appeared remotely in the court from custody. The courtroom was filled with supporters of the McGuire family, each wearing shirts with her face on them and the words "she matters". Young elected to have the trial fast-tracked to the Supreme Court, skipping the usual committal process in the Magistrates' Court. The trial begins and ends after Lachlan Young changes his plea The Supreme Court murder trial began on July 8, sitting in Ballarat. Young's legal team conceded that Young had killed Ms McGuire, but that the death was accidental and without murderous intent. The trial went for eight days, with the jury hearing from several witnesses. Young's colleague, Benjamin O'Keefe, is a key prosecution witness who told the court he had driven out to Scarsdale with Young on the morning of Ms McGuire's murder. He said Young had set Ms McGuire's orange Mitsubishi Triton on fire with a blow torch, but denied ever seeing her body inside the vehicle. Mr O'Keefe's cross-examination had finished on Wednesday, July 16, and the court was due to hear from more prosecution witnesses. The trial was adjourned on Thursday, July 17, due to "issues that arose overnight". Supreme Court Justice James Elliott did not elaborate on what the issues were. On the morning of Friday, July 18, Young changed his plea, and pleaded guilty to murdering Ms McGuire. Young will return to court on July 25. Affected by this story? Call Lifeline 13 11 14 The Supreme Court trial of Lachlan Young came to an abrupt end on Friday, after the 23-year-old pleaded guilty to murdering his former partner, Hannah McGuire. The change of plea came eight days into the murder trial, after several witnesses, including Ms McGuire's parents, were called to give evidence to the jury. Preparations are being made for Young's eventual sentencing on the single charge of murder. Here is what has happened so far in the case, which has both devastated and brought together a community. Hannah McGuire's body is found in a burnt-out car in bushland near Scarsdale - April 5, 2024. A man walking his dog was the first to call in the burnt-out Mitsubishi Triton after discovering the wreckage in the early morning of April 5, 2024. CFA crews arrived at the scene in the Ross Creek State Forest to find Ms McGuire's remains in the vehicle. Ms McGuire was last seen by her parents on the night before, sharing a meal with her netball clubmates at the National Hotel in Clunes, which the family owns. Lachlan Young is arrested and charged with murder Homicide Squad detectives charged Ms McGuire's former partner with her murder on April 9, 2024. The couple had owned a house together in Sebastopol, but had separated in the months prior to Ms McGuire's murder. The Clunes Cricket Club established a GoFundMe to help support the McGuire family, which raised more than $11,000 in its first four hours. A workmate of Young's, Benjamin O'Keefe, was also arrested in relation to the murder, but was not charged. Young appeared for the first time at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court, and a statement on behalf of the McGuire family was delivered outside the courthouse by their solicitor, Brooke Tamanika. Calls for change grew in the Ballarat community, as Ms McGuire became the third woman in the city to be allegedly murdered by a man in the first half of 2024. Ms McGuire was laid to rest at a funeral in Ballarat on April 29, 2024, attended by about 600 people. Lachlan Morganti is charged with stealing money from Hannah's GoFundMe A man associated with the Clunes Cricket Club, and known to the McGuire family, Lachlan Morganti, is charged with stealing over $60,000 from the GoFundMe established after her death. Morganti used the money to fuel his online gambling addiction and was reported to police after transferring a portion of the winnings to his friends, who realised where the money had come from. He later admitted to the McGuire family that he had lost all of the money. A magistrate called Morganti's crime one of the "most self-indulgent acts of greed" she had seen in her career. Debbie McGuire called Morganti's actions "vile". "He had the audacity to attend [Hannah McGuire's] funeral, where he was amongst the very people who contributed to the GoFundMe, whose money he had gambled away," she said. "I'm heartbroken for those who financially contributed when they didn't know what they could do for us, I have faith the adjudication will be one that is considerate on our family and the community." Morganti avoided jail and was placed on a two-year community corrections order after pleading guilty to the theft. Lachlan Young pleads not guilty to murdering Hannah McGuire At a hearing at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on September 19, 2024, Young pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms McGuire. He appeared remotely in the court from custody. The courtroom was filled with supporters of the McGuire family, each wearing shirts with her face on them and the words "she matters". Young elected to have the trial fast-tracked to the Supreme Court, skipping the usual committal process in the Magistrates' Court. The trial begins and ends after Lachlan Young changes his plea The Supreme Court murder trial began on July 8, sitting in Ballarat. Young's legal team conceded that Young had killed Ms McGuire, but that the death was accidental and without murderous intent. The trial went for eight days, with the jury hearing from several witnesses. Young's colleague, Benjamin O'Keefe, is a key prosecution witness who told the court he had driven out to Scarsdale with Young on the morning of Ms McGuire's murder. He said Young had set Ms McGuire's orange Mitsubishi Triton on fire with a blow torch, but denied ever seeing her body inside the vehicle. Mr O'Keefe's cross-examination had finished on Wednesday, July 16, and the court was due to hear from more prosecution witnesses. The trial was adjourned on Thursday, July 17, due to "issues that arose overnight". Supreme Court Justice James Elliott did not elaborate on what the issues were. On the morning of Friday, July 18, Young changed his plea, and pleaded guilty to murdering Ms McGuire. Young will return to court on July 25. Affected by this story? Call Lifeline 13 11 14
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Hamilton boccia star Steph McGuire earns double gold at European championship
Steph MBE won both the individual and pairs titles in his first major international since last year's Paralympic success Hamilton boccia king Steph McGuire has added double European championship gold to his Paralympics top prize. McGuire MBE travelled to the international competition just days after collecting his royal honour from the King in a ceremony at Holyrood Palace. He won gold in the individual BC4 contest in Croatian capital Zagreb, and topped the podium in BC4 pairs with teenage talent Sophie Newnham – which has qualified both for the world championships. Steph said: 'To come to Zagreb and get double gold at the European championships is something I've never achieved before. 'To come away with this trophy together with Sophie is the icing on the cake; and of course we have qualified for the world championships.' Britain has done well overall at the Euros, and Steph said: 'The tournament has been fantastic for Great Britain. To come away with four golds and two bronze is a terrific haul. 'Personally, to win two gold medals at my first major event off the back of Paris is more than I thought possible.' Steph's double triumph comes 10 months after Steph's widely-celebrated success in winning the Paralympic title in Paris, striking gold in his fourth Games after three previous fourth-place finishes. The European championship saw the talented Hamiltonian face a tough pool of five in the individual competition, in which he won all but one of his group matches. After beating Gergo Berkes of Hungary and Boris Nicolai of Germany in the play-off and semi-final, McGuire delivered a 7-0 masterclass to beat Portugal's Paulo Cardoso. In the pairs, McGuire and Newnham won all three pool matches before beating Spain 7-0 in the semi-final and overpowering Germany 5-3 in the final to take the top prize. Pics by Boccia UK.
Sydney Morning Herald
16-07-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
Hannah McGuire suffocated and was dead when car set alight, killer allegedly told workmate
A workmate of Lachlan Young has testified the accused murderer told him Hannah McGuire was already dead and had suffocated before Young torched her car with her body inside in bushland south-west of Ballarat. Ballarat man Benjamin O'Keefe has admitted to travelling to Scarsdale, 25 kilometres from Ballarat, alongside Young to dispose of McGuire's car in the early hours of April 5 last year. O'Keefe who says he did not know McGuire, 23, was in the car at the time it was set alight, told Young's Ballarat Supreme Court trial on Wednesday that he learnt of the university student and education support worker's death through a former colleague. 'One of the people I used to work with sent me a message saying Hannah was dead,' he told the jury. 'I called Lachie [Young] because I was worried I was implicated in a murder ... I just wanted to talk to him face to face. He said, 'Yeah, come over for a beer'.' Young, 23, has admitted he killed McGuire, his former partner, before driving her body to bushland and setting her car on fire with her body inside. He has pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to murder. Last week, Young's lawyer, Glenn Casement, said McGuire's death was 'an unplanned and spontaneous incident'. O'Keefe said that when he arrived at Young's parents' house in Ballarat on April 6, Young's demeanour was calm. He said he confronted Young outside the house about McGuire's death and asked him if she was in the Mitsubishi Triton ute when Young set it on fire the previous evening.
The Age
16-07-2025
- The Age
Hannah McGuire suffocated and was dead when car set alight, killer allegedly told workmate
A workmate of Lachlan Young has testified the accused murderer told him Hannah McGuire was already dead and had suffocated before Young torched her car with her body inside in bushland south-west of Ballarat. Ballarat man Benjamin O'Keefe has admitted to travelling to Scarsdale, 25 kilometres from Ballarat, alongside Young to dispose of McGuire's car in the early hours of April 5 last year. O'Keefe who says he did not know McGuire, 23, was in the car at the time it was set alight, told Young's Ballarat Supreme Court trial on Wednesday that he learnt of the university student and education support worker's death through a former colleague. 'One of the people I used to work with sent me a message saying Hannah was dead,' he told the jury. 'I called Lachie [Young] because I was worried I was implicated in a murder ... I just wanted to talk to him face to face. He said, 'Yeah, come over for a beer'.' Young, 23, has admitted he killed McGuire, his former partner, before driving her body to bushland and setting her car on fire with her body inside. He has pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to murder. Last week, Young's lawyer, Glenn Casement, said McGuire's death was 'an unplanned and spontaneous incident'. O'Keefe said that when he arrived at Young's parents' house in Ballarat on April 6, Young's demeanour was calm. He said he confronted Young outside the house about McGuire's death and asked him if she was in the Mitsubishi Triton ute when Young set it on fire the previous evening.
Sydney Morning Herald
15-07-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
Hannah McGuire's alleged murderer crashed her car into a tree before torching it, court told
The court heard O'Keefe replied: 'Does that mean not taking the car tonight?' O'Keefe said he went to bed and woke to the sound of Young honking the horn of McGuire's Mitsubishi Triton ute outside his home at 2.53am on April 5. He said Young asked him where they should take McGuire's car. 'I said, 'I don't know',' O'Keefe said. 'And he said, 'Follow me'... I got in my car and I followed him.' At no point did he see McGuire in the vehicle, O'Keefe told the jury. The court heard he was trailing Young in his own vehicle when Young crashed McGuire's car into a tree. O'Keefe said Young was driving slowly enough to not injure himself in the crash and then asked O'Keefe what he should do with the car. 'I said, 'Dump it, don't burn it. You get in more trouble for a fire',' O'Keefe testified. He told the jury that from the rear-view mirror of his own car he saw Young get a yellow blowtorch. Asked what he did with the blowtorch, O'Keefe said Young set the front seats of the ute on fire. Young paid him $45 after the incident, he said. The Supreme Court, sitting in Ballarat, earlier heard that Young sent messages to McGuire's friends in the hours after he killed her threatening to 'go off [his] dial' if she were not found. 'Where the f --- is she?' Young had written in a Snapchat message, shown in court, to one of McGuire's close friends on the morning she was reported missing. 'I will start going off my dial if she is not found.' Later that morning he had written another message to the same friend, saying: 'If anything happens to her, I will destroy this town.' Loading Prosecutors allege Young also tried to cover up Hannah's murder by sending text messages purporting to be from her and resembling a suicide note, to her mother at 3.43am on April 5. Several of McGuire's close friends and colleagues broke down while providing evidence detailing an alleged a pattern of aggression, controlling behaviour and abuse by Young. The jury heard claims that he would follow the university student on evenings out with her girlfriends, degrade her, body-shame her, scream at her and harass her with texts and phone calls whenever she was away from him. Tayla Schefferle, who worked with McGuire at a Ballarat primary school, testified she went to work early one morning in March last year and found McGuire distressed. 'I got there, and it was only us two at the time,' Schefferle told the jury. 'She approached me, and she just fell into my arms ... She was very upset and distraught.' Schefferle said McGuire revealed she had broken up with Young and expressed fears about her safety. 'She was just afraid that he would do something to her,' the witness said. Shefferley told the jury that following the break-up McGuire began arriving at work earlier and would park her car in a shed at the school to hide it. Another colleague and friend, Jaymie McDonald, testified McGuire often contacted her via Snapchat while crying at night after locking herself in the bathroom of the house she shared with Young. When prosecutor Kristie Churchill asked McDonald if she had observed a change in McGuire after her break-up with Young, she said: 'She had found such a glow. She was happy and beautiful and strong and loving.' Loading In a statement submitted to the court and shown to the jury, McGuire's childhood friend and hairdresser Caitlyn Stepnell recounted instances in which she alleged Young had abused his former girlfriend on nights out during their relationship. 'Hannah had a few guy friends who would just come up and say hello, and Lachlan would get very aggressive,' Stepnell wrote in her statement. 'He would tell the guy friends to F off and don't speak to her. He would also call them the C word.' One colleague told the jury McGuire was as an amazing teacher's aide who cared deeply about her work and the children she supported. 'The kids loved her,' she wrote in submission read to the jury. McGuire was on the cusp of finishing her university degree in teaching, and her friends said she was excited about the next chapter in her life when she was killed. Last week, Young's lawyer, Glenn Casement, said McGuire's death was 'an unplanned and spontaneous incident'. The trial continues.
