Man jailed for eight years after killing cousin over 'inferior drugs'
A man who fatally stabbed his cousin during an argument over low-quality drugs has been sentenced to more than eight years' jail.
Conrad Lardner, 51, has been sentenced to eight years and three months in prison for fatally stabbing his cousin, David Vale, outside a Kempsey property in March 2023. The court heard that the two had argued over Lardner's refusal to refund Vale for inferior quality drugs. Lardner was initially charged with murder but was found guilty of manslaughter by Justice Stephen Campbell in a judge-alone trial at the Supreme Court in Port Macquarie.
During the sentencing, Justice Campbell ruled that Lardner intended to inflict serious harm on Vale when he stabbed him twice. The court also considered Lardner's deprived childhood, anti-social personality disorder, and history of childhood sexual abuse. Lardner is eligible for parole in 2031. Vale's partner, Jessica Howard, expressed disappointment with the sentence.
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