Steven Tougher: Family of slain paramedic confront 'vicious' stabber Jordan James Fineanganofo

The man who fatally stabbed a paramedic 55 times has been told to “rot in hell” by his bereaved mother, after he was cleared of murder on mental health grounds.

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

At the time, Mr Tougher’s wife Madison was pregnant with the couple’s second child, who was born weeks after his death.

Madison Tougher and other family members confronted Fineanganofo during a sentence hearing on Thursday, leaving no doubt as to who they hold responsible.

“You murdered my husband for no reason. You did this,” the widow said.

“Our beautiful daughter will never get to meet her Dad.

“I should be living my best and happiest life with my forever love, but I’m not.”

Mr Tougher’s mother Jillian told Fineanganofo that in her eyes, he will always be a murderer.

“You did this to my boy and that’s a fact,” she said.

“All because you didn’t take your medication, that’s where the responsibility lies.”

Ms Tougher said she is haunted by the horror of her son’s terrifying final moments, during which he begged Fineanganofo to stop the attack that lasted almost four minutes.

“His last memory is of a vicious, violent person stabbing him, who just would not stop,” Ms Tougher said.

“You make me sick.

“You killed a big part of me when you killed my beautiful son Steven.

“You don’t even have the guts to look at me. You don’t have a knife now. I hope you rot in hell.”

Fineanganofo was on Friday found not guilty of murder on the grounds of mental health impairment, after a NSW Supreme Court judge accepted he had been experiencing a psychotic episode.

On Thursday, Justice David Davies ordered he be taken into custody under the supervision of the Mental Health Review Tribunal.

Fineanganofo will not be released until the tribunal is satisfied he will not pose any serious risk to himself or the community, the court was told.

Mr Tougher’s father Jeff told the court he is not convinced it was the right decision.

“This decision does nothing to make society safer,” Mr Tougher said.

“This person had no sympathy for my boy and we’re expected to believe he wasn’t responsible.”

Prosecutors agreed to the special verdict being appropriate for Fineanganofo after two psychiatrists diagnosed him with schizophrenia.

Forensic psychiatrist Kerri Eagle, who was engaged by the prosecution, found Fineanganofo was suffering from a psychotic illness at the time, consistent with a relapse of schizophrenia.

He had largely stopped eating and sleeping in the days leading up to the attack, and claimed to be hearing voices which he believed to be demons, according to a report by Dr Eagle.

Fineanganofo was also cleared of acts comprising a mini-rampage leading up to the stabbing, including menacing a woman with a five-month-old baby at a Bunnings.

Prior to stabbing Mr Tougher, Fineanganofo also had several chilling encounters with other strangers, including confronting a man outside a 7-Eleven service station while holding a knife.