Mum 'broken' by son's brutal death over stolen AirPods
A mother whose son was brutally bashed to death over a suspected AirPods theft says she has been left “completely broken” without the beloved teenager.
“It has been two years and 11 months since Jason’s life was taken,” a teary-eyed and softly spoken Rachel Galleghan told a sentencing hearing for her son’s killers.
Jason Galleghan, 16, was fatally beaten in August 2021 after going to meet a group of friends at a western Sydney train station.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“I still can’t believe Jason is gone ... I am completely broken without him,” Ms Galleghan said in a victim impact statement to the NSW Supreme Court on Friday.
“I will never be able to talk to him again and look at his hands, face and his beautiful smile.”
Jason was repeatedly bashed hours after the station meeting and left to die alone wearing only his boxer shorts.
Kayla Dawson, 22, and Richard Sione, 34, were found guilty of his murder in April in a judge-alone trial.
Ms Galleghan said the duo robbed Jason of his life.
“He had a bright future ahead of him ... it was all taken away from Richard Sione,” she said.
“Words cannot express how much I loathe Kayla. Jason trusted her, I will never understand her actions.”
Dawson and Jason were originally friends, and her son had felt bad for the older woman, the court was told.
“Jason helped Kayla during a difficult time in her life, only (for her) to pre-plan an attack that led to his death,” Ms Galleghan said.
Dawson lured Jason - who she suspected of stealing her Apple AirPods - to her home, where he was attacked by Sione and subsequently by a group of teenagers who referred to the much older man as “uncle” or “dad”.
The 16-year-old died due to his injuries two days after the assault.
Ms Galleghan urged Justice Robert Allan Hume to consider the maximum jail sentences possible for both Dawson and Sione.
“This man (Sione) must be punished ... so his influence and actions do not hurt another person,” she said.
Eleven people aged between 13 and 29 were charged after parts of the murder were filmed.
One teenager was previously sentenced to 15 years in prison over his involvement in the bashing.
Dawson and Sione face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for the murder.
The pair are expected to be sentenced later on Friday.
