Peniola Liu remanded in custody after jury fails to reach unanimous decision in Alex Ollson murder trial

A three-day murder trial over the brutal bashing of a young father at an Innisfail taxi rank just before Christmas in 2020 has reached its conclusion.

A three-day murder trial over the brutal bashing death of a young father at an Innisfail taxi rank just before Christmas in 2020 has reached its conclusion.

“There is no prospect of the jury coming to a unanimous decision,” a note the jury passed to Chief Justice Helen Bowskill at 11.45am on Friday read.

At the trial’s opening, Peniola Liu, 32, pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to the 2020 murder of Alex Ollson, 28.

Alex Ollson, 28, died during a fatal assault at the Edith Street taxi rank in Innisfail. Jurors were unable to reach a unanimous decision in the trial of Peniola Liu, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to murder.

Mr Ollson, a father of two, died early in the morning on Saturday, December 19, 2020 after Liu assaulted him at the Edith Street taxi rank in Innisfail.

Expert testimony from medical pathologist

After three days of hearing witnesses, replays of the assault caught on CCTV, expert testimony from Dr Paul Botterill, a specialist medical pathologist based at Cairns Hospital, and the defendant himself testifying through a Tongan interpreter, Chief Justice Helen Bowskill discharged the jury and sent them home.

“They’ve had a lot of evidence they had to work through,” she said before jurors re-entered the court.

Long deliberation

They had deliberated for close to nine hours.

“In the circumstances I will discharge you from this matter,” she told the 12 men and women.

“I thank you very much for your service on this jury. The community very much does appreciate your time and effort.

“This is sometimes what happens. You’ve tried really hard and I thank you. You are now discharged.”

She also thanked the Tongan interpreter for her work during the trial.

As Chief Justice Helen Bowskill discharged jurors, she told them, “This is sometimes what happens. You’ve tried really hard and I thank you.” Picture: Brendan Radke

Legal arguments over the three days centred on “intent”, and what was in the defendant’s mind when he punched Mr Ollson, knocking him to the ground three times.

The third time he was knocked down, Mr Ollson hit his head on a metal grate and did not get up again.

‘Blunt force head injury’

Dr Botterill told the court Mr Ollson suffered bleeding on the brain and gave his cause of death as blunt force head injury causing a sub-arachnoid haemorrhage.

Mr Ollson’s loved ones left the court quickly after the jury was discharged.

The case will now be listed for review before Justice James Henry on Thursday, December 8.

Mr Liu has been remanded in custody.

Originally published as Peniola Liu remanded in custody after jury fails to reach unanimous decision in Alex Ollson murder trial