Sam Schmidt pleads not guilty to grievous bodily harm charge

A construction worker is on trial for a knockout punch at a Maroochydore sports bar that left another man in a coma for two days and with a “traumatic” brain injury.

Sam Schmidt leaves Marooydore Court House. Picture: Patrick Woods.

A jury has heard evidence from the alleged victim of a punch that left him with a traumatic brain injury as the accused construction worker’s trial begins in Maroochydore.

Sam Schmidt pleaded not guilty to one charge of grievous bodily harm in the Maroochydore District Court on Tuesday, August 8.

Crown prosecutor Michael Andronicus told the court Mr Schmidt punched the alleged victim at the Duporth Tavern on May 1, 2022 around 9pm, knocking him to the ground and rendering him unconscious.

“The incident resulted in a traumatic brain injury to the complainant Nathan Salway,” Mr Andronicus said.

Mr Andronicus told the court a range of witnesses were to give evidence over the course of the trial including a doctor from the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.

The alleged victim Mr Salway was the first witness to give evidence to the court, stating he and Mr Schmidt were “acquaintances” rather than friends prior to the incident at the Duporth Tavern last year.

Mr Salway told the court he was unable to walk for weeks when he woke from a coma two days after the incident, adding he cannot remember anything from night.

The jury also heard evidence from the security guard working at the Duporth Tavern on the Sunday night of the alleged attack.

The security guard told the court he was called over to an argument between two men, before both threw punches at each other.

“I was summoned over there to the sports bar and I’ve seen an argument between two males, what I saw was the smaller guy hit the big guy first, but it wasn’t too heavy,” he said.

“And then I got into the middle of the two males to try and stop them and then I was facing the big guy, I was telling the big guy to just move on and then he threw a right punch over the top of my arm and connected with the small guy.

“I didn’t see it connect I just heard a thud.”

Defence barrister Peter Feeney told the court Mr Schmidt acted in self-defence.

Maroochydore District Court judge Ian Dearden told the court Mr Schmidt was to remain on bail pending the outcome of the trial in the coming days.