Karl Michael Hague found guilty of murder 23 years after fatal stabbing of boy in Victoria

A man has been found guilty of murder 23 years after he was questioned by police over the fatal stabbing of a boy in a shopping centre. 

More than two decades after the public stabbing death of Victorian teenager Ricky Balcombe, a man has been found guilty of his murder. 

A week-long deliberation ended on Monday when a Supreme Court jury returned a guilty verdict against Karl Michael Hague, 44, for the murder of the 16-year-old at Geelong’s Market Square shopping centre in 1995. 

  

Karl Michael Hague, 44, (pictured) has been found guilty of murder 23 years after he was questioned by police over the fatal stabbing of a boy in a shopping centre

More than two decades after the public stabbing death of Victorian teenager Ricky Balcombe (pictured), a man has been found guilty of his murder

More than two decades after the public stabbing death of Victorian teenager Ricky Balcombe (pictured), a man has been found guilty of his murder

Ricky’s mate Paul Bellia previously said he saw Hague stab his friend. 

The court heard Hague was a gang member at the time of the killing, the Herald Sun reported. 

Hague, 21 at the time, denied killing the youth and denied being in the Geelong CBD at the time of the public execution. 

He said police witnesses, who placed him at the scene, lied to the jury. 

Prosecutors said Ricky was murdered in revenge, weeks after a group of youths surrounded and smashed Hague’s car with a machete as he and his friends cowered inside.

Hague is due to be sentenced on May 2.

Hague, 21 at the time, denied killing the youth and denied being in the Geelong CBD at the time of the public execution

Hague, 21 at the time, denied killing the youth and denied being in the Geelong CBD at the time of the public execution

Hague (pictured) is due to be sentenced on May 2 after being found guilty of murder 

Hague (pictured) is due to be sentenced on May 2 after being found guilty of murder 

Speaking to media after the guilty verdict was handed down, Ricky Balcombe’s mother Christine Loader said it was ‘the best day of our lives’. 

‘We’d just like to think that justice has been done, our beautiful son and brother can now be at rest,’ she said. 

Ricky’s mother, father and brother were at the trail everyday, as were Hague’s mother and father.

After the murder verdict was announced, a clearly emotional Joyce Hague said ‘It’s not over yet, he’s totally innocent’. 

Hague’s partner Corynne Pyle added: ‘It’s devastating an innocent man goes to jail’. 

The family of murdered teen Ricky Balcombe, mother Christine Loader, father Graeme Loader and brother Tee-Jay Loader speak to the media after leaving the Supreme Court in Melbourne

The family of murdered teen Ricky Balcombe, mother Christine Loader, father Graeme Loader and brother Tee-Jay Loader speak to the media after leaving the Supreme Court in Melbourne

'It’s the best day of our lives for the last 22 yrs we’d just like to think that justice has been done, our beautiful son and brother can nw be at rest,' Ricky Balcombe's mother Christine Loader (centre) said 

‘It’s the best day of our lives for the last 22 yrs we’d just like to think that justice has been done, our beautiful son and brother can nw be at rest,’ Ricky Balcombe’s mother Christine Loader (centre) said 

 

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