A schoolboy has been convicted of manslaughter over the stabbing of an autistic man in a Sydney public toilet block.
The 17-year-old was standing trial in the NSW Supreme Court for the murder of Gerard Fleming, 35, at Narrabeen, on Sydney's northern beaches, last June.
Mr Fleming suffered from Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism, and was stabbed by the youth after approaching him at the toilet block, which is a known gay beat.
A jury of 12 on Friday convicted the youth of the lesser charge of manslaughter after deliberating for half a day.
The youth, who cannot be named due to legal reasons, closed his eyes in relief as the foreman returned the verdict.
He will be sentenced on a date to be fixed.