Three men have pleaded guilty to manslaughter after Carlo Stewart was fatally shot during a street brawl in North Booval, near Ipswich, in July 2021.
Brayden Alan Wilson-Knight, 29, his friend Tye Joshua Bickle, 33, and a 22-year-old man who was a juvenile at the time also admitted two counts of grievous bodily harm before Brisbane Supreme Court.
The court heard Mr Stewart died in hospital from three gunshot wounds to his back and thigh after Bickle fired 10 shots into the area during the confrontation.
Mr Stewart had gone to Wilson-Knight’s home with about 10 other men in search of allegedly stolen motorbikes. CCTV showed the group approaching Wilson-Knight’s partner and children and waiting in the front yard before the trio arrived.
Footage shown to the court captured Mr Stewart playing with the children and kicking a ball on the lawn only minutes before the shooting.
Wilson-Knight had retrieved an illegal, unregistered .22-calibre handgun belonging to his father from a drain before he knew the group was at the property. Crown prosecutor David Nardone said neither Bickle nor the juvenile knew the gun existed until Wilson-Knight produced it.
The court was told there had been no physical contact when Wilson-Knight showed the firearm. Mr Stewart then threw a punch, starting a fight between the two groups.
During the brawl, Mr Stewart produced a bat and struck Bickle, who managed to take hold of the gun before firing repeatedly. The juvenile also armed himself with a bat, while both Bickle and Wilson-Knight possessed the firearm at different points.
Two other men from Mr Stewart’s group were attacked and suffered injuries described in court as grievous bodily harm. Mr Stewart was driven from the scene as the three men fled down the street.
Wilson-Knight was hit by one of the men’s cars, while Bickle and the juvenile entered a nearby river before hailing a taxi. They were later found by police.
Family remembers Ipswich father
Mr Stewart’s family described him as a “loveable larrikin” and a “protector” who brought people in need “under his wing”.
His mother, Kaye Stewart, told the court in a victim impact statement: “I’ve been in hell for 69 months and 29 days. How can something so tragic happen to such a good-hearted person.”
His partner, Bonita Reuben, said Mr Stewart had been a devoted father figure to her four-year-old daughter, braiding her hair, teaching her to ride a bike and helping choose engagement rings.
“Although Carlo had a tough exterior he had carried throughout much of his life, that tough exterior just didn’t exist at home with us,” she said.
“He was so proud of (my daughter) and her biggest fan. He genuinely wanted to build something good.”
Bickle’s defence argued he had arrived unarmed to support Wilson-Knight, who was concerned about the safety of his family, and had become “scared for himself and panicked” when he fired the gun. The court heard Mr Stewart’s attack on Bickle caused a brain bleed, with continuing health concerns.
Wilson-Knight’s barrister, Scott Lynch, said his client was “truly contrite” about what happened to Mr Stewart, the other victims and his co-accused. Kim Bryson, representing the juvenile, said he had remained “some distance from the main action”, which unfolded in 43 seconds.
Wilson-Knight was also sentenced for later drug offences involving methamphetamine and MDMA, as well as fraud charges linked to a GST scam. The court heard $26,000 had been refunded to his account, while a further $128,000 was due to be returned before authorities discovered the offending.
Justice Peter Callaghan reserved his final decision until October 1. Bickle and Wilson-Knight were remanded in custody, while the 22-year-old remains on bail.
