Stabbed man was ‘intoxicated and aggressive’: Cairns murder hearing

One minute, a White Rock woman was worried her wrestling housemates might damage her garden; next minute she was doing CPR as one man’s life ebbed away, a Cairns court has been told.

Carpenter ‘Lenny’ Smith died outside the Hollywood Boulevard home where he lived at White Rock on May 10, 2023, a court has been told at a committal hearing for the housemate charged with his murder. Picture: Peter Carruthers

A woman who tried to revive her bleeding housemate alongside the man accused of his murder broke down in the witness box this week as the ‘visuals’ of the night’s events flashed back to her while she gave evidence.

Steven Edward Anderson, 68, is facing one count of murder over the stabbing death of 57-year-old father of two, Darren ‘Lenny’ Smith in Hollywood Boulevard, White Rock on May 10, 2023.

Angela Tanner owned the house where Lenny lived and died. She told the court Lenny boarded in a separate part of her house for several years, and Steve – a long-term friend of hers – had moved in six weeks before the death.

She said Lenny was a regular and heavy drinker, who was “intoxicated and aggressive” the night he died, playing loud music, and becoming upset when asked to turn the music down by Steven.

“I said ‘you’re drunk Lenny – go to bed and we’ll deal with this tomorrow,” she said

Steven drove away to “cool down” while Lenny wrote messages on the fridge that were likely to antagonise Steven, she said.

Ms Tanner rubbed off the fridge message, took the speaker, and went to bed, thinking “Lenny would pass out”, the court was told.

Carpenter and father of two ‘Lenny” Smith died on May 10, 2023, after allegedly arguing with his housemates, who had asked him to turn down his loud music.

Under cross examination by defence barrister Brydie Bilic about her statement to police, Ms Tanner said she woke to the sounds of a scuffle, and went to investigate.

“Initially, you were concerned about the garden and yelled to get out of my garden. (Lenny and Steven) appeared to be wrestling … and you didn’t see anyone holding a knife.” questioned Ms Bilic, to which Ms Tanner replied “yes’.

“You pulled Lenny off and onto the patio … When you pulled Lenny back, you could feel a wetness on Lenny’s shirt – you’ve ripped the shirt off and it’s at that time, you’ve seen there was a lot of blood coming from his chest,” to which Ms Tanner again replied “yes”, becoming upset and explaining “I’ve got visuals”.

“I remember trying to pad something into there. I was more concerned with his breathing and why he wasn’t responsive,” Ms Tanner said.

Police officers outside the White Rock home where a man was killed on May 10, 2023. Picture: Peter Carruthers

The court was told Steven called an ambulance and tried to revive Lenny with Ms Tanner until emergency services arrived, but Lenny’s “time of death” was announced soon after.

Evidence was also called from the mother of Lenny’s two sons and former wife.

She told the court Lenny had “anger issues”, which were exacerbated when he was drunk.

She said she had called the police once when Lenny was “walking around the backyard with an axe” after an disagreement about a shower curtain; his violence and drinking were the reason their relationship ended, she said.

More witnesses will be called before Magistrate James Morton this week, with the hearing to run into a third day.

Originally published as Stabbed man was ‘intoxicated and aggressive’: Cairns murder hearing