Hamid Hussein pleads guilty to manslaughter of Lakes Creek housemate

A lawyer for a 36-year-old meatworker who pleaded guilty to killing his housemate wants to get a psychological report for him, a court has heard.

The Mackay Street, Lakes Creek home where police allege a man was attacked with a chair on Thursday, 28 January, 2021.

A man who allegedly unlawfully killed his housemate has indicated to his lawyers it was a reaction to his experience as a refugee, a court has heard.

Hamid Hussein, 36, caused the injuries which Amanullah Mohammad, 32, later died of in Rockhampton Hospital on January 30, 2021.

He entered a plea of guilty to manslaughter, downgraded from murder, in the Supreme Court of Rockhampton this morning.

According to the objection to bail affidavit filed filed to the court by police and previously viewed by this publication, police claimed Mr Hussein and Mr Mohammad were in the lounge room in the upstairs area of a home they shared on Mackay Street, Lakes Creek, when they started arguing over an unknown matter on January 28, 2021.

According to the court documents, Mr Hussein ripped off the right arm-rest of a wooden chair in the lounge room and approached Mr Mohammad as he was walking towards the rear door and allegedly struck him once in the back of the head with the wooden arm-rest, resulting in the latter falling face first onto the external stairs’ landing.

The affidavit stated Mr Mohammad sustained a large open wound to the back of his head, causing significant bleeding, and that he lost consciousness before falling to the ground and stopped breathing.

According to the court documents two people heard the argument and came out of their rooms where they saw Mr Hussein standing over Mr Mohammad holding the wooden arm-rest.

Emergency services were then contacted with paramedics giving Mr Mohammad medical treatment, before he was taken to hospital.

Mr Mohammad’s life support was turned off on January 30, 2021 and Mr Hussein was charged with the murder on February 5.

Defence barrister Andrew Hoare told the Supreme Court on October 21 that the matter, which had been set for trial when Mr Hussein faced a murder charge, had resolved last Tuesday after defence submissions were accepted by Crown prosecutors.

Andrew Hoare KC, a barrister. Picture: Dan Peled / NewsWire

He said his client, who speaks Rohingya, came to Australia as a refugee.

“The circumstances of this unlawful killing seem to indicate reactions which may be informed by his experience as a refugee,” Mr Hoare said.

He requested an adjournment to look into getting a report for sentencing that could address any psychiatric/psychological aspects the court needed to know.

Mr Hoare said Mr Hussein had spent four years in custody which the defence believes was “enough time”.

He said the defence noted Crown would be submitting for a 10 year prison term.

Mr Hussein’s matter was adjourned for a mention on November 18 and he was remanded in custody.