Teen knocked down Warren Eaton at Manunda where he was struck by car and killed, court told

A father was trying to buy a few drinks for a gathering at his home when he was set upon by a “pack of cowards”, chased, knocked to the ground, and struck by a car seconds later, a court has been told.

Warren Eaton died after being struck by a car in Cairns. Picture: Supplied.

A father described as “loving” and “funny” was trying to buy a few drinks for a gathering at his home when he was set upon by a “pack of cowards”, chased, then knocked to the ground by a 16-year-old boy, a court has been told.

Seconds later, he would be struck and killed by a car in Manunda, Far North Queensland.

The boy, who is now 18 but cannot be named because of his young age at the time, pleaded guilty to manslaughter before the Cairns Supreme Court over the death of 48-year-old Warren Eaton, on April 1, 2023.

The court was told the father of five (three children and two stepchildren) died on the roadside not far from his home while his family watched helplessly as paramedics tried for more than 40 minutes to revive him.

Warren Eaton, pictured with his family, died when he was struck by a car after being chased onto the road and knocked down for a teenager, who will be sentenced for manslaughter, and his friends.

Crown prosecutor Elizabeth Kelso told the court the boy had a 14-page juvenile criminal history.

He committed offences before and after the death of Mr Eaton, and was on two court orders at the time of the crime — a probation order and a conditional release order.

She said the boy’s previous crimes included breaking into houses, unlawfully using cars, punching other children he knew and stealing food. She said, according to examining psychologists, the boy continued to believe violence might be used to solve problems.

Defence barrister Rachelle Logan said the boy had a disadvantaged upbringing and had been moved between family member’s homes until he was taken into care a few years before the crime.

“He last saw his mother in 2019 … he calls her and tries to maintain a relationship … perhaps sadly, that hope is not returned,” Ms Logan told the court.

He had a stable placement for two years and was attending high school, the court was told, but from the age of 14, was moved through 23 placements, which was around the same time as his criminal history began.

She said he felt “terrible” about what happened.

Defence Barrister Rachelle Logan said the boy, now 18, had a dysfunctional upbringing and had moved through 23 care placements in a short space of time.

Ms Kelso described the circumstances of the tragic night to the court, saying that some time after 7pm on April 1, 2022, Mr Eaton and a friend walked to the bottleshop at Raintrees, where they encountered a group of around eight people who had been drinking all day, including the boy, another boy and adults.

She said the boy, who believed Mr Eaton had made disparaging remarks about his aunt on an earlier occasion, challenged him to a fight.

“Mr Eaton put up his hands and indicated he had no intention of fighting,” Ms Kelso told the court.

“In terms of what then transpired, Mr Eaton has crossed the road while (the boy) was chasing after him.

“(The boy) threw a punch towards Mr Eaton and … (Mr Eaton) stumbled and landed on the right lane … being confronted, he lay on his side and put his hands over his head.”

Seconds later, Mr Eaton was struck by a car being driven by an unlicensed driver, and dragged a short way down the road, the court was told.

Help was summonsed immediately; several people witnessed what happened, the court was told.

Mr Eaton had walked to the bottleshop at Raintrees Shopping Centre from his house before he was threatened by a teenager, and chased by him and other members of the group he was in.

Among the first people on the scene were Mr Eaton’s partner, Angie, and children, who lived nearby.

In Mr Eaton’s partner’s victim impact statement, she described being told that Mr Eaton was being chased and in trouble.

Minutes later, she heard sirens.

“My entire family had to watch the paramedics do CPR on him for 40 minutes … I continued to tell the paramedics to keep trying but he wasn’t coming back,” said the statement which was read out to the boy and to the court.

“He was the rock of the family … he had a lot of friends, was very funny, and was not a fighter.”

The family of the late Warren Eaton, outside their home after Mr Eaton’s death, were there when paramedics tried unsuccessfully to revive him.

The court was told Mr Eaton’s partner, Angie, did not tell the younger children about his death until the next day, and that the family had been struggling since.

“We are all quite upset and my heart breaks … to this day, we are angry, frustrated and think it is so unfair.

“Warren was so kind, we know if he was here today, he would ask us to forgive and forget.”

Justice James Henry acknowledged there was difficulty in “balancing” the tragedy of what happened, deterrence, and the difficulties the boy’s dysfunctional upbringing.

He adjourned the delivery of his sentence until Wednesday May 14, at 2pm.

Originally published as Teen knocked down Warren Eaton at Manunda where he was struck by car and killed, court told