Two brothers charged after a teenager was fatally stabbed in a fight after the 2023 NRL grand final will have to wait longer to learn their fates.
In the NSW Supreme Court, Wesley Dates, 20, and his older brother Peter Dates, 22, recently stood trial following the death of 18-year-old George Woods. The incident occurred during a street altercation on the night of October 1, 2023.
The jury had been in closed-door discussions since the trial closed on May 21 and were discharged today after failing to reach a verdict.
Earlier in the trial, they heard the brothers had been drinking and watching rugby league with friends at an apartment in Miller in western Sydney.
Woods and his friend Joshua Ratu, 19, then arrived.
Jurors were told Peter Dates and Ratu got into a punch-up on the street, landing a number of blows on each other before Wesley Dates became involved.
Wesley Dates admits to fatally stabbing Woods before using the knife to seriously wound Ratu.
However, his lawyer told the jury he had acted in “excessive self-defence”.
The 20-year-old pleaded guilty to wounding Ratu with the intention of causing him grievous bodily harm and to the manslaughter of Woods.
Prosecutors rejected this second plea, arguing he should be found guilty of murder.
Peter Dates has pleaded not guilty to wounding a person with the intent of causing grievous bodily harm.
He has been accused of forming an unspoken agreement with his brother to wound Ratu.
The brothers will be arraigned in July when a further trial date may be set.
