‘Hit him with it’: Alleged messages from day of Gold Coast car park killing revealed

A man charged over the killing of another man in a carpark beneath the Gold Coast Radiology building may have been “playing too many video games” a judge has observed.

Emergency services at the Hope Island scene. Picture: Scott Powick

A man charged over the killing of another man in an alleged drug deal gone wrong on the Gold Coast may have been “playing too many video games” a judge has observed.

Haedyn Patrick Zachary Rawson, 23, and Kai Stacey Reinhardt, 24, have both been charged with the stabbing murder of Will Swinbourne, 21, in a carpark beneath the Gold Coast Radiology building at Hope Island on March 11.

The Hope Island scene. Picture: Scott Powick

Reinhardt, who is charged as a party to the alleged murder and is not accused of stabbing Mr Swinbourne, applied for bail in Brisbane’s Supreme Court on Monday offering a $250,000 surety.

Crown prosecutor Stephanie Gallagher opposed bail alleging there was a strong case for murder under the “common purpose” provisions.

Ms Gallagher alleged there had been a plan to rob Mr Swinbourne and Reinhardt messaged him to meet at the location at 1pm.

“So knowing that there is that plan it’s the applicant who facilitates the deceased attending that location,” she alleged.

“There’s a message at some stage from Rawson saying ‘or I don’t do it’ and the applicant says ‘up to you’ but then also says ‘let me know if you need anything’ so it’s clear at that stage he’s not necessarily withdrawing.

“Then we have a third message that follows at 2.11pm by the applicant to Rawson that says ‘just hit him with it’”.

Will Swinbourne.

Ms Gallagher alleged this could be a reference to the knife however Justice Thomas Bradley said that would be an unusual expression and Reinhardt may have meant “hit him with the demand for drugs or money or whatever”.

Ms Gallagher alleged that very close in time to the stabbing Reinhardt changed jumpers with Rawson due to the latter being concerned Mr Swinbourne would recognise him.

“One might think (Reinhardt) is not really withdrawing, he’s actually providing some further encouragement or aid in that plan to rob,” she said.

Top silk Jeff Hunter, KC, representing Reinhardt, said there was no CCTV of his client in the underground parking area where the stabbing took place.

While a witness saw a person in a dark coloured top “skulking around behind the stairs” his client was wearing a light grey top, Mr Hunter said.

“What is clear on what (Reinhardt) told police he became aware at a very late stage in the proceedings that the other man Rawson did in fact have a knife,” he said.

“The question remains as to the extent of (Reinhardt’s) continued participation in what happened.”

The scene of the alleged murder. Picture: Scott Powick

Mr Hunter said messages between Rawson and Reinhardt indicated his client had withdrawn from the plan to rob.

“That’s significant because we know from the evidence of (a witness) that the only person who was directly involved in an encounter with the deceased was Rawson. So it does raise ... the issue of withdrawal from a common purpose,” he said.

“It might perhaps be conceded the case against the applicant on manslaughter might be regarded as slightly stronger than the case that he faces on murder.”

He said Reinhardt had strong ties to the community and would abide by a curfew, random drug testing, surrendering his passport and working with his father if granted bail.

Mr Hunter said Reinhardt had given a “fulsome account” to police soon after the incident and at no time attempted to abscond in the nine days it took police to charge him.

Ms Gallagher said Reinhardt wasn’t particularly forthcoming to police given he allegedly deleted evidence of his communications with Mr Swinbourne and Rawson.

“He had provided a statement lessening his involvement and perhaps had contemplated he would not be charged,” she said.

Ms Gallagher said he was charged after police found messages on Rawson’s phone that allegedly showed Reinhardt’s “greater involvement than what he told police”.

Judge Bradley said the evidence indicated Reinhardt acted immaturely or with stupidity.

“And it’s not clear to me in the moment whether the explanation for that could be that he was affected by the use of drugs at the time or he just played too many video games,” he said.

“But he just seems to be easing into conduct or associating with conduct as if it’s not as gravely serious as it actually is.”

He adjourned the application for Mr Hunter to organise appointments with a psychologist should Reinhardt be granted bail.