A WYCHEPROOF man allegedly punched and killed his family friend after a bout of horseplay at the local golf club, a court has heard.
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Twenty-eight-year-old Dane Edward McLennan - the man accused of killing 56-year-old John Durie - appeared in the Supreme Court on Thursday for the start of his criminal trial.
Mr McLennan has entered a plea of not guilty to the charge of manslaughter.
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The court heard on August 30, 2019, Mr McLennan, Mr Durie, and other members of the Wycheproof community were at the local golf club for a tournament.
That evening, after the tournament had concluded, the two men were in the club rooms drinking alcohol with a group of people.
Prosecutor Patrick Bourke QC told the jury Mr McLennan and Mr Durie were well-known to each other and had been engaging in "horseplay" throughout the evening.
Mr Bourke said about 9.30pm, Mr McLennan and Mr Durie were playing a game of pool when, in the context of "mucking around", Mr Durie either kicked or punched Mr McLennan in the stomach or groin area.
The prosecution alleged Mr McLennan was embarrassed and then angry, so he lashed out at Mr Durie and punched him in the head.
The court heard Mr Durie immediately collapsed and did not regain consciousness. He later died at the scene despite efforts at CPR.
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Mr Bourke told the court Mr Durie died of a brain haemorrhage, which was caused by Mr McLennan's punch.
The prosecutor said the punch constituted manslaughter because it was unlawful, dangerous, and deliberate.
But Mr McLennan's counsel Geoffrey Steward told the court the defence position was that the punch did not cause the haemorrhage.
Mr Steward said the haemorrhage was an "exceedingly rare" event that reasonably could have been caused by other means.
The defence counsel also told the jury it was in contention whether Mr McLennan's punch had landed on Mr Durie's head, as the accused told police he could not say where he had hit the victim.
Mr Steward said Mr McLennan was a "friendly, easy going" man of "exemplary character" who had no prior criminal matters.
Witnesses will begin giving evidence in the manslaughter trial on Monday.
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