Fatal Weston skatepark fight resulted in 'disgraceful' reprisal attacks, court told

The alleged incidents of vigilante justice were described as "appalling and disgraceful" during a joint sitting of the ACT magistrates and children's courts on Monday.

They were revealed on a day the menacing Snapchat messages that prompted the initial brawl were played in court for the first time.

In the expletive-laden rants, a teenage boy, who cannot be named, roars abuse.

He repeatedly calls the recipient a "dumb c---", threatens to "kill your f---ing family", and shouts about urinating on a grave.

These and other incendiary messages were circulated, leading this boy and another to agree to a fist fight at the skatepark.

What in fact occurred was a violent melee with 12 adults and children present.

On Monday, six of those faced a sentence hearing over the September 2020 brawl.

None of these three adults and three children are accused of killing an 18-year-old man who was fatally stabbed during the incident.

The first to have his case discussed, Montgomery Cole White, 19, admitted punching the deceased and using a shovel to break the windshield of a Toyota 86 coupe.

His barrister, John Purnell SC, dubbed it "a sad and sorry event", telling the court his remorseful client had acted impulsively and should receive a good behaviour order.

He claimed White had been subjected to extracurial punishment stemming from his involvement in the brawl, citing the destruction of his car and work tools in a fire.

The silk added that bricks and a Molotov cocktail had also been thrown in "appalling and disgraceful" attacks.

"So violent has been this behaviour, it has caused significant fear and dread in the defendant White and also his family," Mr Purnell said, telling the court these matters were under investigation.

Jason Moffett, a barrister for one of the other offenders, said his client's home had been the scene of three incidents including an arson attack and attempted firebombing.

Mr Moffett claimed, like Mr Purnell, that these could not be coincidental.

He did so as he asked Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker to consider a non-conviction order for his 18-year-old client, who was underage at the time of offending.

The teenager has admitted being knowingly concerned in the September 2020 affray.

Steven Whybrow, counsel for one of the boys who had agreed to what was supposed to be a one-on-one skatepark fight, also raised the issue of extracurial punishment.

He said he had been made aware of a "concatenation" of assaults on skatepark brawl defendants in and around the ACT courts precinct.

Of the brawl, Mr Whybrow said his client had expected it to be something akin to "an after-school fight at midnight".

He said the boy had taken part because of the "provocative and extraordinarily violent" Snapchats, and now felt "significant and deep remorse".

Mr Whybrow added, as he contended for a non-conviction order, that his client only ended up playing a limited role in the melee.

Another of the offenders, Jaxson Dillon Kirkwood, punched the deceased teenager about five times and used a pickaxe to create five holes in the bonnet of the Toyota.

Kirkwood's lawyer, Paul Edmonds, said the 26-year-old had been immature despite being older than the others involved.

He conceded Kirkwood's offending warranted a jail sentence, but argued this should be fully suspended or served through a community-based order.

The remaining adult, Emmanuel Umunakwe, 20, was said to be "deeply remorseful" for breaking a car window with a rake and helping White to assault the deceased.

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His barrister, Margaret Jones, said the son of a former diplomat had been living with one of the child participants and had felt obliged to provide "backup" for this boy.

The final defendant to face court on Monday was on the other side of the fight to the rest.

This boy, a cousin of the deceased, suffered non-fatal stab wounds. His barrister, James Sabharwal, said this should be taken into account on his sentence for affray.

Ms Walker will sentence the six defendants on September 30.

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