Man ordered McDonald’s after fatal bashing, court documents reveal
Colin Maxwell Booth has pleaded guilty to manslaughter over the death of Canberra man Bobby Stuart Allan
Canberra Star
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A man enjoyed a meal at McDonald’s straight after watching two men bash a Canberra man so severely he later died from his injuries.
Colin Maxwell Booth has pleaded guilty to manslaughter over the death of the 48-year-old who died after being struck at least three times with a baseball bat at his Rivett home in Canberra’s southwest in December 2017.
Mr Allan left a trail of blood as he desperately tried to seek help for blunt force trauma head injuries by knocking on several doors before collapsing on a neighbour’s doorstep, according to court documents.
That neighbour, who happened to be a medical student, carried out CPR until ambulance officers arrived but he could not be revived and died at the scene.
Justice David Mossop on Thursday convicted Mr Booth of manslaughter at ACT Supreme Court, where his co-accused are due to stand trial on charges of murder next month.
The 35-year-old contends he remained outside and stood about a metre from the front door during the violent altercation but watched what occurred, according to an agreed statement of facts.
“He expressed his agreement and joined the altercation by his close, voluntary and deliberate physical proximity, his lack of withdrawal, and his failure to take any reasonable steps to prevent the conduct from being engaged in,” the facts said.
“(Booth) contends that he did not believe the deceased was seriously injured when he left the scene and did not know that he had died until the following day.”
Mr Booth, a methamphetamine user, had gone to Mr Allan’s house to buy drugs from him as he had done in the past, according to the facts.
Following the brutal bashing, he stole drugs, a credit card and a phone from the deceased’s house before catching a taxi with one of his co-accused to the Manuka McDonald’s.
CCTV footage indicates there is “red staining” on the shirts of Booth and one of the other men as they order food but Booth does not admit it was blood.
Mr Booth will be sentenced following the trial of his two co-accused, which is due to start on September 9.
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