00:02It's been a busy day here at Southport Magistrates Court with the friends and
00:06family of both the accused and the alleged victim packing the courtroom.
00:10Police allege Austin Lewis Blainley Ballard kicked 22 year old Cameron
00:15Deuce in the early hours of September 22nd two years ago resulting in critical
00:20head injuries. Mr. Deuce died a week later in hospital. Mr. Ballard has been
00:25charged with unlawful striking causing death. Today witnesses told the court
00:30about what they saw that night in what's been described as a chaotic scene with
00:34multiple fights between multiple groups of people on a street just north of the
00:39Burley nightlife precinct. One witness who was out that night with his friends
00:43described seeing three men approach Mr. Deuce before he was kicked and then
00:48leaving the scene in a ute. He said there were attempts to de-escalate the incident
00:53before the fatal blow. The defence questioned each witness about who they
00:58saw kick Mr. Deuce and whether another person was potentially involved. Police
01:03took 72 statements throughout the course of their investigation with more
01:07witnesses set to testify throughout the week.
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