A professional cage fighter has been found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter following the death of his sparring partner during a friendly boxing session in Sydney's northwest.
The Incident
Bradley Dusan Fletcher, 39, had consumed cocaine and put on boxing gloves to spar with his friend Bradley Evennett on March 22, 2024, to celebrate moving into a house together. However, the friendly bout turned fatal when Fletcher unleashed a series of blows that left Evennett lying face down in a pool of blood.
Trial and Verdict
Fletcher faced trial in the NSW Supreme Court after pleading not guilty to murder. He admitted responsibility for his friend's death by pleading guilty to manslaughter, but prosecutors rejected this plea. After two days of deliberation, a jury acquitted Fletcher of murder on Tuesday afternoon but found him guilty of manslaughter.
The foreperson announced: 'We find Bradley Dusan Fletcher not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.'
Prosecution's Argument
Crown prosecutor Kate Ratcliffe argued that Evennett, 32, was hit twice, kicked in the head, and punched three times while on the ground. She stated: 'This is not a case of sparring that got out of hand. The accused wanted in that moment to hurt Mr Evennett.' However, the jury determined that the evidence did not prove Fletcher intended to cause serious harm.
Aftermath
Fletcher did not call emergency services upon realizing Evennett was unconscious, claiming he panicked and did not grasp the severity. He said he took a Xanax and could not recall dragging the body to a car, loading it into the boot, driving to a nearby street, and dumping it on the footpath. A passerby found Evennett's body and called 000, leading police to Fletcher's door.
During police interview, Fletcher was candid, stating: 'We were sparring, we were boxing, it was an accident, bro. You don't kick your best mate in the face, he's got a bone disease.' He even told officers he deserved the maximum sentence for the assault.
Sentencing
Fletcher was convicted of manslaughter and will face sentencing in the NSW Supreme Court at a later date.
