THE young man charged with killing Thomas Kelly in Sydney's notorious Kings Cross party strip has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
Kieran Loveridge, 19, entered the plea when his matter came before Central Local Court in Sydney's CBD on Tuesday.
He was originally charged with murder but the prosecution accepted the lesser plea of manslaughter.
Police accused Loveridge of going on a bashing spree in Kings Cross about 10pm (AEST) on July 7 last year.
He was charged with assaulting five males, including Mr Kelly.
The victim, an 18-year-old accounting cadet, was walking with his girlfriend and talking on his mobile phone when he was attacked.
Loveridge also pleaded guilty to four counts of common assault and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The additional pleas relate to his other four victims.
The Department of Public Prosecutions withdrew the charge of murder in relation to Mr Kelly's death.
Loveridge did not express emotion.
Mr Kelly's family members sat in the gallery when the pleas were entered and clutched each other's arms during the brief appearance.
When the magistrate asked Loveridge to acknowledge his guilty pleas, he responded, "Yes, ma'am."
He was committed to sentencing in the Supreme Court on August 2.
Outside court, Thomas Kelly's parents, sister and extended family expressed their dissatisfaction over the plea deal.
"We're here today for our son Thomas, who cannot speak for himself and will never speak again," his mother, Cathy Kelly, said in a prepared statement to reporters.
"Although we are here to represent him, we have had no rights or say at all in the procedures that have brought us here, or in the decision that has been made here today."
A police source confirmed to AAP the family is not happy with the court outcome.
She also said although they chose to turn off their son's life support two days after the incident, his life had ended when he was assaulted.
"That decision was made for us on July 7 (2012) at 10.07pm when our beautiful, defenceless son Thomas was king hit with such force and violent intent.
"When his head hit the pavement, the very essence of what made him Thomas was gone then and there.
"He was a young man who loved his family and friends, and epitomised respect."
Ms Kelly also took aim at people who commit violent acts and have total disregard for the consequences of their actions.
She said this behaviour will continue and violent offenders will "remorselessly reoffend over and over again".
"Our family has lost a son, a brother, a grandson, a nephew and cousin," Ms Kelly said.
"We will never forget our darling Thomas.
"We will never stop missing him, and our lives will never be the same."
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