A court has heard a Tasmanian man accused of beating a fellow carnival worker to death at a show in Far North Queensland shaved his head and left the scene on the night in question.
Kyam Keith Broadby, 25, is on trial for murder in relation to the death of Nathaniel Wailu, who was found unconscious at the Mareeba Show, west of Cairns, in July 2019.
The Supreme Court in Cairns heard Mr Wailu, 35, was taken to Townsville Hospital but died five days later from severe head injuries.
In his opening address to the jury, Crown prosecutor Nathan Crane said the carnival worker from Townsville was "effectively beaten to death" by Mr Broadby, who he worked "side by side with in the amusement industry", setting up heavy rides.
He said the alleged victim was found on the doorstep of a caravan within the showgrounds.
"[Mr Wailu] was under the [caravan] annex, just outside the door of an independent camper who was just enjoying the Mareeba Show," Mr Crane said.
"Police found him there — they could see that he had a bloody face, a bloody nose and there was blood coming from his mouth.
"What caused his death were the injuries that police couldn't see … severe facial fractures."
'Keep your hands off my woman'
Mr Crane told the court that Mr Wailu had been drinking heavily and was intoxicated when he headbutted a female show worker and later "swung a hammer around", threatening the accused man's girlfriend, show worker Dekoda Bell-Pickett.
He said Mr Wailu "ran off into the darkness" and was chased by Mr Broadby and another man.
He said witnesses heard a man "with an Australian accent yelling 'Keep your hands off my woman.'"
Mr Crane said Mr Broadby had a friend shave his head and left the scene on the night.
Mr Broadby's barrister, Martin Longhurst, told the court his client was not the only person present that night and said there no witnesses to the alleged attack.
"Keep an open mind," he told the court.
The trial is expected to continue for up to seven days and will hear from more than 30 witnesses, including show workers, people attending the Mareeba shows, a pathologist, a radiologist and a neuropathologist.
