Three men charged with murder of Irish teen Cian English in Australia

Three men have been charged with the murder of an Irish teenager in Australia over the weekend as tributes poured in for him.
Three men charged with murder of Irish teen Cian English in Australia

Additional reporting by Conall Ó Fátharta

Cian English originally from Carlow, who fell from the fourth storey of a Gold Coast building.
Cian English originally from Carlow, who fell from the fourth storey of a Gold Coast building.

Three men have been charged with the murder of an Irish teenager in Australia over the weekend as tributes poured in for him.

Cian English, 19, originally from Carlow Town but who was living with his family in the middle-class area of Hawthorne in Brisbane's eastern suburbs, suffered traumatic injuries when he fell from a balcony at the View Pacific resort in Surfers Paradise.

Three men have been charged with his murder and two of armed robbery on the Gold Coast, 74km away from Brisbane.

The trio charged with the murder had their cases mentioned in court for the first time on Monday.

Jason Ryan Knowles, aged 22, Hayden Paul Kratzmann, aged 20, and Lachlan Paul Soper-Lagas, aged 18, were not required to appear in court.

Lachlan Soper-Lagas's charges — one count of murder, two counts of armed robbery and two of deprivation of liberty — were briefly mentioned at  Beenleigh Magistrates Court yesterday. His  case will be mentioned again on Tuesday.

Kratzmann and Knowles's cases were briefly mentioned in Brisbane Magistrates Court, where they were adjourned for a committal call over in Southport Magistrates Court on August 4.

Authorities allege that suspects, from left, Lachlan Soper-Lagas, Jason Knowles, and Hayden Kratzman were attempting to rob Cian English and his friend of a phone when the Irishman tried to escape over the balcony.
Authorities allege that suspects, from left, Lachlan Soper-Lagas, Jason Knowles, and Hayden Kratzman were attempting to rob Cian English and his friend of a phone when the Irishman tried to escape over the balcony.

Police allege that Mr English was trying to escape being robbed by the three men at knifepoint, for his clothes and footwear, when he fell to his death. He had been in the Gold Coast with a friend who was also assaulted.

Gold Coast police were called to an apartment complex in Surfers Paradise at around 3.15am on Saturday where Mr English’s body was found at the base of the building.

It was initially thought the young man had died in a tragic fall but later it emerged that he fell trying to escape the men who had been staying in a unit above his room.

It is understood that a video of the beating the young man received is being circulated on social media platform Snapchat.

The Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) Senior Operations Supervisor Neil Stead told the Sydney Morning Herald that what paramedics witnessed at the scene was so traumatic that those attempting to save Mr English's life have undergone welfare checks.

The teenager moved to Brisbane around eight years ago with his parents. Siobhan Webster originally from the Tullow Road, Carlow Town and Vincent English from Mortarstown, Kilkenny road also in Carlow and older brother Dylan.

The young man’s late grandfather John English, who was originally from Wexford, and was well-known for his hurling prowess, worked in various departments in the local authority.

Cian’s father Vincent worked as an accountant for several years before the family moved to the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean. He worked for Digicel for several years and is now CEO and Executive Director of Megaport - a telecommunications company. Prior to Digicel, Vincent worked in the manufacturing industry for Alcoa and Gillette in financial operations roles.

Cian’s Mum Siobhan works at Brisbane Children’s Hospital and brother Dylan also works at Megaport.

Carlow Town Hurling Club paid tribute to teenager and expressed its "sincere and heartfelt sympathy to the English and Webster families on the tragic passing of their beloved Cian". May his gentle soul rest in peace.”

A local politician, who did not wish to be named said: “Both the Webster and English families are the nicest people and absolutely the salt of the earth. The whole town is devastated for them and I know obviously that the families are heartbroken.”

Sources within the Irish support community in Brisbane, have indicated that the family has not made contact with Irish Embassy representatives there.

A spokesman, for one of the support groups said: “There is a huge police investigation taking place here at the moment. For a 19-year-old to die at such a young age and in this manner is just horrific.”

The Department of Foreign Affairs have said they are aware of the case and stand ready to provide assistance if required to do so.

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