Grant Alec Coleman to be sentenced over one-punch death of surfer Chris Davidson

The man who killed former pro surfer Chris Davidson in a one-punch attack outside a Mid-North Coast club had a kind of obsession with him, it was heard during sentencing.

Rip Curl Pro, Bells Beach Torquay. Surfing. Chris Davidson (Aust) pumped.

Grant Alec Coleman is set to be sentenced in the Newcastle District Court in relation to the one-punch death of former surfing champion Chris Davidson.

The 43-year-old has pleaded guilty to assault causing death and common assault.

Coleman, the brother of NSW Waratahs coach Darren Coleman, has been remanded in custody since his arrest following an altercation at the South West Rocks Country Club on September 24 last year.

The assault took place within the poker room of the club and the punch causing his death, just outside the front doors.

Footage of both incidents were shown in court on Wednesday and depicted Coleman approaching Mr Davidson, who was playing a gaming machine, from the side and putting his hands on his throat.

Surfer Chris "Davo" Davidson who died after he was punched outside a venue in South West Rocks. Picture: Facebook

Chris Davidson in action in Mundaka in Spain in 1999. Picture: Pierre Tostee

Mr Davidson had lost the use of his left arm in a car crash and he could be seen playing with his right hand as Coleman approached.

The court heard that Coleman, who grew up in South West Rocks, spoke about a kind of obsession with Mr Davidson.

“I did obsess about him a bit - my obsession came because I wanted to protect young girls,” he said in Newcastle District Court on Wednesday.

“I’d heard rumours from his history and I wanted to let him know it wasn’t acceptable in our community.”

Surfer Chris Davidson at North Narabeen Beach in Sydney.

In the lead up to Coleman’s sentence the Daily Telegraph revealed the former surfer had a conviction for a child sex offence.

The court heard there had been an interaction between Mr Davidson and a young woman of a “vast age difference” at the club which Coleman and the table of people he was sitting with had observed.

His defence lawyer argued this was the context of the offending and told the court his client’s acquired brain injury from high impact sports including rugby and a number of car accidents, significantly impaired his self control.

Grant Coleman

The CCTV footage from outside the club shows Mr Coleman walking back up the stairs, after being asked to leave, and approaching Mr Davidson as he came out.

He hit him and he fell lifeless onto the tiles about 11pm as several people there waiting for the courtesy bus looked on.

Mr Davidson was once celebrated as one of the most talented surfers in the world and a victim impact statement from his sister detailed he was the prime carer for his elderly mother at South West Rocks at the time of the incident.

“We live a life sentence every day. My mother wants to kill you with her bare hands and she weighs all of 35 kilos,” she said.

Chris Davidson at Maroubra Surf Life Saving Club for the announcement of the World Surfing, Australian Open in 2004. Picture: Carmela Roche.

Following her son’s death she has taken up drinking vodka, aged 77 “to try to stop the pain” and has had to move to Sydney.

She also urged Coleman to tell his friends to stop spreading “hatred” on social media and to leave her brother’s “memory alone as it is all we have left”.

After being struck outside the club he was taken to Kempsey Hospital for treatment, but pronounced dead a short time later.

Coleman was arrested at a nearby home about 30 minutes later.

Mr Davidson’s death sent shockwaves through the surfing world and around his local communities in South West Rocks and North Narrabeen – some people remember him fondly, while others remember him for his volatile history with the law.

Judge McGrath adjourned the matter to February 2 when a date for sentencing will be set.