{
  "id": 19752429,
  "title": "Man jailed for eight years after killing cousin over 'inferior drugs'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/13/man-jailed-for-eight-years-after-killing-cousin-over-inferior-drugs",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-13T03:55:43.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News AU",
    "slug": "abc-news-au",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-11-13/conrad-lardner-sentence/107382144"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.",
  "summary": "A man who fatally stabbed his cousin during an argument over low-quality drugs has been sentenced to more than eight years' jail.",
  "key_points": [
    "Conrad Lardner sentenced to eight years and three months in prison",
    "Killed cousin David Vale over dispute about inferior drugs",
    "Justice Campbell ruled Lardner intended to inflict serious harm"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The manslaughter conviction and subsequent prison sentence reflect the judicial response to a fatal dispute over illegal substances and the personal history of the offender.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}