A jury has been discharged in the trial of a man accused of killing another pub patron in a one-punch attack.
Darren Young died from head injuries suffered in a fall after being struck by Bradley Peter Cooper on the Sunshine Coast days before Christmas 2020, the jury was told.
A heavily intoxicated Mr Young had earlier been asked to leave a Maroochydore hotel a couple of times, at one stage getting into a physical altercation with staff, Brisbane Supreme Court heard.
Fellow pub patron Cooper did not know Mr Young but took it upon himself to get involved by encouraging the “drunk pest” to leave.
Cooper ultimately led him away from the pub after 1am before later punching Mr Young and running away, the jury was told.
Cooper told police Mr Young had become aggressive, wanted to fight, had punched him and started swinging again so he jabbed him in the jaw in self-defence, the jury was told.
Cooper, 33, had pleaded not guilty to unlawful striking causing death.
After more than eight hours of deliberating, the jury could not reach a unanimous or majority verdict and was discharged on Friday by Justice Lincoln Crowley.
A retrial was likely, crown prosecutor David Nardone said
Cooper is on bail with the matter listed for review next week.
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