Shooting death: Man to be sentenced before Supreme Court

A NORTH Coast man has formally pleaded guilty to manslaughter over a June, 2017 incident.

Ace Hall, 31, died after being left outside Tweed Hospital with a gunshot wound to the stomach in 2017. Picture: facebook

A NORTH Coast man has been committed to be sentenced for manslaughter in the Supreme Court.

A bearded Phillip Becker, 34, appeared via video link from Long Bay Hospital before Lismore Local Court on Tuesday.

Becker's amicus solicitor Cameron Bell had previously indicated a plea of guilty to manslaughter.

Becker, from Kingscliff, had originally been charged with murder over the June 24, 2017 shooting of 31-year-old Ace Hall.

Mr Hall was left outside The Tweed Hospital with a gunshot wound to the torso.

He later died in the hospital.

The court heard the prosecution would formally withdraw Becker's original murder charge, given his plea of guilty to the lesser charge.

Magistrate David Heilpern asked him: "are you pleading guilty to the charge of manslaughter?"

"Yes, I am, your honour," Becker replied.

The prosecution handed up an agreed set of facts to Mr Heilpern, each page of which had been signed by Becker.

Mr Heilpern committed Becker for sentence, and set his arraignment down for March 1.

Becker will again appear via video link on that date.