Decision handed down after paramedic’s fatal stabbing at McDonald’s carpark

A man who stabbed a NSW paramedic to death in a horrific attack at a McDonald’s carpark in southwestern Sydney has been granted a special verdict of not guilty on mental health grounds.

Jordan James Fineanganofo admitted to stabbing 29-year-old paramedic Steven Tougher 55 times outside Campbelltown McDonald’s, in southwest Sydney, in the early hours of April 14, 2023.

Tougher was survived by his pregnant wife Madison who gave birth two months later.

“I return a special verdict of act proven, but not criminally responsible,” Justice David Davies ruled in the Supreme Court on Friday.

The judge found Fineanganofo was “suffering from a mental health impairment at the time of the offences”.

The court heard how Fineanganofo had been suffering from a psychotic illness at the time of the deadly attack, consistent with a relapse of schizophrenia.

Prosecutors agreed the special verdict was appropriate for Fineanganofo, who said he had been hearing voices in the lead-up to the incident.

“I accept the psychiatric evidence on the balance of probabilities that the accused suffered from a mental health impairment,” Davies said.

“That mental impairment had the effect that the accused did not know that his actions were wrong.”

The matter is expected to return to court on November 14.

Following the decision, Stephen’s father Jeff Tougher said they were devastated by the decision.

“As a family we are appalled by today’s outcome, It is neither what we wanted nor expected.”

Fineanganofo had pleaded not guilty to murder by way of mental health impairment, at the start of what was expected to be a six-week trial in the NSW Supreme Court on Monday.

Forensic psychiatrist Kerri Eagle, who was engaged by the prosecution, determined Fineanganofo had a mental health impairment at the time of the offending and displayed signs and symptoms of a psychotic illness consistent with a relapse of schizophrenia.

Eagle took note of witness evidence describing Fineanganofo as looking like “he was in a trance, calm, mumbling, grinning and odd”, the court was told.

Crown prosecutor Ken McKay SC told the court on Monday, Fineanganofo had no interaction with Tougher before the chilling attack which lasted close to four minutes.

Tougher tried to push Fineanganofo away but was unable to, because he was trapped between by back of the ambulance, and said: “What are you doing? Stop stabbing me mate”.

Despite the efforts of several people to help, Fineanganofo continued to stab Tougher, walking away several times before returning to deliver more wounds as the NSW Ambulance worker lay on the ground.

At one stage, Fineanganofo told Tougher, “Say you’re sorry to me”.

“I’m sorry, mate, whatever you think I’ve done,” a badly injured but still conscious Tougher replied.

Fineanganofo also pleaded not guilty on mental health grounds to a string of related charges over alleged incidents in nearby suburbs in the days before killing Tougher.

Those incidents included intimidating a woman who was pushing a stroller with a five-month-old child, threatening several men at a service station and swinging a knife at a man during a roadside incident, piercing his jacket but not his skin.

- With AAP

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