A Fairlight man who shoved a stranger to his death on Manly Corso while drunk and affected by MDMA has been sentenced to three years in prison today, 8 May 2026.
Jesse Allan, now 26, was sentenced in the NSW District Court over the manslaughter of Matthew Williams, 37, who died in hospital in February 2024, ten days after being pushed to the ground outside 8-28 The Corso in the early hours of 27 January.
Allan was sentenced to three years imprisonment commencing 14 March 2025 and expiring 13 March 2028, with a non-parole period of two years. Â The Northern Beaches man has been in prison since last year so there was time already served.
A 25 per cent sentence discount was also applied due to his guilty plea.
Allan pleaded guilty to one count of manslaughter in May 2025, when his bail was revoked and he was taken into custody.
The court had heard that Allan and a woman he was with had crossed paths with Williams three times during the evening on Australia Day in 2024. It heard that Williams threw a water bottle at the couple and later subjected them to sustained verbal harassment. After putting his date in an Uber, Allan encountered Williams a third time.
Despite Williams backing away with his arms raised in a defensive position, Allan grabbed his shirt and shoved him with enough force that his legs were seen almost vertically in the air. Williams fell and struck his head, sustaining a traumatic brain injury. He was  resuscitated at the scene but had his life support turned off on 6 February 2024.
At a December 2025 hearing, Allan told the court he had consumed alcohol and MDMA before the incident and denied claims by crown prosecutor Rossi Kotsis that he had tracked Williams down in anger after his date was harassed. Allan maintained he acted out of fear.
CCTV footage played to the court showed Allan pushing Williams on two separate occasions during the night.
Jesse Allan will be eligible for release to parole on 13 March 2027.
If Matthew’s family would like to speak or share their thoughts on the sentencing we invite you to contact us for a conversation. We will otherwise respect your privacy and leave you to grieve in peace.Â
By Kim Smee with AAP
