<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A man who killed his former girlfriend and then tried to stage her death as a suicide claims he is not a murderer.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Lachlan Young, 23, faced the Victorian Supreme Court in Ballarat today for the start of his murder trial.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He has pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter, admitting he did kill his former partner Hannah McGuire on April 5, 2024.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/a-teenager-attacks-children-in-a-school-in-brazil-killing-a-9yearold/c951185c-9681-41e6-9dfb-434f025dee8d" target="_blank"><strong><span>A teenager attacks children in a school in Brazil, killing a nine-year-old</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But he denies murdering the 23-year-old, claiming her death was instead an "unplanned and spontaneous" event.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Crown prosecutor Kristie Churchill told the jury his manslaughter plea was rejected, instead alleging Young formed a plan to murder McGuire.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The prosecutor told the jury Young had been controlling and abusive towards McGuire, and intervention orders were taken out against him.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/lachlan-young-man-killed-exgirlfriend-but-says-hes-not-a-murderer/11de17c4-a5af-4077-91d1-38481f4c1ddc" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>After the second court order was made in March 2024, Young realised his relationship was over and he would lose the house they had bought together so he killed her, Churchill claimed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It's alleged Young told a workmate on April 2 that he would "roofie" McGuire, drive her out somewhere and crash the car while she was unconscious.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Two days later, McGuire went to their joint property about 9.47pm to meet with Young.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She never left the house and it's alleged Young murdered her sometime between 1.50am and 2.53am on April 5.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He then placed her body in the footwell of her Mitsubishi Triton, drove out to Scarsdale, about 25 kilometres south of Ballarat, and set fire to the car.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Young allegedly left the scene with his workmate as the getaway driver in a separate vehicle.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>On the drive back, Young used McGuire's mobile phone to send messages to her mother Debbie, claiming she was going to take her own life.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I'm sorry Mum, I thought this was the right decision," text messages read to the jury stated.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I tried to heal and cope with it all but I'm not OK."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/childcare-giant-g8-education-to-put-cctv-in-all-centres-after-alleged-paedophile-charged/1a99c2e5-c8db-4ce1-be7f-f7d7310e1999" target="_blank"><strong><span>Childcare giant G8 Education to put CCTV in all centres after horror sexual abuse charges</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Young also sent himself messages from McGuire's phone, saying "I'm sorry, I love and miss you dearly".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The accused murderer also transferred $2000 from McGuire's bank account to her mother and $5000 to himself.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>When McGuire's mother went to Young's house in a panic, he claimed he had not seen her daughter and feigned surprise at the messages.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Churchill alleged they were some of the lies Young told McGuire's parents, his own family, and the police.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>After he was arrested on April 7, Young told officers he would "never f----- harm that girl".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Defence barrister Glenn Casement admitted Young had made "appalling and bad choices" to try to cover up what he had done.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But he told the jury that did not mean his client was guilty of murder.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The killing was instead an unplanned and spontaneous event that lacked murderous intent, Casement said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It was not disputed that Young sent the text messages from McGuire's phone and made the bank transfers, the barrister said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But the allegations made by Young's workmate were contested and Casement urged the jury to be critical of the man's account when he gives evidence.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Jurors should also carefully assess McGuire's decision to go to the house voluntarily before her death and the circumstances surrounding the intervention orders, Casement said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The trial before Justice James Elliott continues.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.1800respect.org.au/"><strong><span>National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service</span></strong></a><span> </span><strong><span>1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).</span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/"><strong><span>Lifeline 13 11 14</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/"><strong><span>Beyond Blue</span></strong></a><span> </span><strong><span> 1300 22 4636.</span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>Help is available from the Men's Referral Service on 1300 766 491.</span></strong></div></div>

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