Inside the Victorian courtroom of the Lachlan Young murder trial

Australia Broadcast Center

19-07-2025

On day eight of a five-week trial, Lachlan Young was asked for a second time how he pleaded to the murder of his ex-partner Hannah McGuire.
In front of a packed Victorian courtroom he replied "guilty", bringing the case to a dramatic close.
As soon as the 23-year-old was led away, the public gallery — filled with Ms McGuire's grieving family and friends — cheered, clapped, hugged and wept.
From start to finish, the Young murder trial has been riddled with twists and turns.
The entire case was subject to a suppression order the day before it began.
Once that lifted, Young admitted he killed Ms McGuire — just not intentionally — and offered unsuccessfully to plead guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.
That offer was rejected by the prosecution, paving the way for what was meant to be a five-week murder trial.
A juror was discharged because they were "not capable of continuing", and the remaining jury was given a rare day off so Young could see his family.
"Something's arisen overnight," Justice James Elliott told Supreme Court jurors in Ballarat on Thursday.
The jury heard from a long list of witnesses, saw 33 exhibits which included maps, graphic images and videos, and even left the courtroom to visit key sites in person.
All of this was to show who Young was, how he treated Ms McGuire, and what he did on the night of and days after he killed her.
But all that came to a crashing halt in a matter of minutes on Friday when Young pleaded guilty to murder.
The defence case led by Young's lawyer Glenn Casement hinged entirely on intent.
Across two weeks, Supreme Court jurors heard that Young killed Ms McGuire in the home they previously shared, that he placed her in the footwell of her car, and drove her out to nearby bushland where the vehicle was torched.
None of these facts were disputed.
The main points of difference were how Ms McGuire was killed.
The prosecution said she was suffocated, while the defence claimed Ms McGuire died when she hit her head against a bathroom sink during an argument with Young.
The only other point where the defence diverged was in relation to the role of Young's work friend, Benjamin O'Keefe, who was paid $45 to bring an extra car so Young had a lift home after his plan to "roofie" Ms McGuire and crash her vehicle with her inside.
For almost all of the witnesses there was little cross-examination by the defence, but when Mr O'Keefe took the stand Mr Casement changed his tune.
"Let's get to it, Mr O'Keefe. You were arrested for murder on 7 April 2024, agreed?" Mr Casement said as his opening question.
Mr Casement suggested Mr O'Keefe saw Ms McGuire's body, devised a plan to dispose of it, and therefore knew she was dead in the car all along.
Mr O'Keefe maintained he had no idea Ms McGuire's body was in the car.
He is not facing any charges in relation to the incident.
"So the evidence before this jury is that whilst you were in that little white car you've agreed to help a man who you were not close with do that, the man saved in your phone as F***head?" Mr Casement said in court.
Over eight days there were plenty of expletives, tears, and stops and starts to evidence.
"Sorry, can I have a break? I just feel like I'm going to pass out," one of Ms McGuire's work colleagues told the court a few minutes into her testimony.
There were also many moments of tension, particularly between members of the public gallery.
When Young's father and sister attended court for day five, six and seven, they were subjected to looks and quiet, angry words from Ms McGuire's family and friends.
Ms McGuire's father, Clunes publican Glenn McGuire, turned his attention to Young after giving evidence that Young was a problem drinker with a temper who did not treat his daughter well.
"You f***ing animal," Mr McGuire mouthed as he walked past Young on his way out of the courtroom.
Both Ms McGuire's parents told jurors about Young's conduct after he murdered their daughter, including a bank transfer and series of text messages Young sent to them from Ms McGuire's phone pretending to be her and devised to make her death look like a suicide.
During her testimony, Ms McGuire's mother described several hysterical phone calls for help from her 23-year-old daughter during violent episodes involving Young.
Mr McGuire broke down while detailing his attempts to help his daughter escape the relationship with Young.
If you need help immediately call emergency services on triple-0
Throughout the entire trial Young, flanked by two police officers, sat expressionless at the back of the courtroom, eyes fixed ahead.
As each day went on, and more of Ms McGuire's family and friends gave evidence, the gallery seats filled.
On the final day the courtroom was packed to the door, with people even standing atop the back bench to see Young plead guilty to Ms McGuire's murder.
Ms McGuire's family left court without speaking to the media.
Young's admission of guilt on Friday means the jury has been discharged.
He will return to court next Friday before a plea hearing at a later date.