Man found guilty of negligent manslaughter in Surfer’s chip brawl

A Sydney man was found guilty of manslaughtering a Brazilian national in Surfers Paradise in 2019 during a brawl over stolen hot chips.

Ricky Kevin Lefoe, 32, was on trial in Brisbane High Court this week accused of unlawfully killing then 29-year-old Ivan Patricio Susin during the street brawl.

After two days of evidence and final instructions from Chief Justice Helen Bowskill on Wednesday morning, the jury returned its verdict within hours.

In court on Wednesday, Lefoe held his head in his hand and Mr Susin’s family members in the public gallery gasped softly as the verdict was read.

Lefoe’s attorney, Patrick McCafferty, requested a two- or three-week break to receive a prejudice report.

Judge Bowskill ordered Lefoe’s sentencing to take place at a date to be determined.

At trial, Crown Prosecutors and Lefoe’s defense agreed that he struck Mr Susin outside a kebab shop on Orchid Street just after 1am on 1 October 2019, causing him to fall and sustaining head injuries which gave him 10 years of age Days later cost their lives.

The fatal blow resulted from a brawl that began when Lefoe’s drunk friend Shaun Simpson grabbed a packet of chips that two of Mr Susin’s friends were eating from while sitting on a bench outside.

The jury was repeatedly shown CCTV footage, taken from outside the kebab shop, showing the entire incident, including Mr Susin’s attempt to intervene and the blow that ultimately killed him.

Three bystanders testified that they heard screams before and during the fight, but could not remember or hear the words used.

A witness testified that he saw Mr Susin attempt a “Haymaker” punch and agreed with Mr McCafferty that it was “delivered with great force”.

The kebab shop employee Yousef Majed Abu Meizer testified that Mr Susin appeared drunk and left the shop within seconds, punched or pushed one of the two men who had started the fight and was then knocked out.

Mr McCafferty told the jury his client took action because Mr Susin tried to deliver a powerful blow to his friend from behind.

In her closing statement, Crown Prosecutor Elizabeth Kelso said Lefoe watched Mr Simpson pin a smaller man to the ground and hit him repeatedly before hitting Mr Susin after he tried to help.