Victim of ‘coward punch’ attack at Southport dies in hospital
The victim of an alleged “coward punch” attack on the weekend has died in hospital.
The victim of what police allege was a “coward punch” on the Gold Coast has died in hospital.
A 62-year-old man was struck in the head by another man at Southport on Saturday night, leaving him critically injured.
He was placed in a coma in the intensive care unit at the Gold Coast University Hospital with his family keeping a bedside vigil.
He died on Tuesday morning.
Officers were called to the incident at the intersection of Scarborough and Railway Sts at 11.30pm.
Gold Coast Acting Chief Superintendent Brett Jackson said the alleged assault was captured on CCTV, which would be tendered to the court as evidence.
“It depicts the two males talking before one male strikes the other to the side of his face,” he said.
“(The victim) then falls to the ground and has hit his head on the pavement.
Superintendent Jackson claimed this was a “coward punch”.
“There was no cause for this (alleged) assault to have occurred,” he said.
When police arrived at the scene, a 32-year-old Coombabah man presented himself to officers and he was taken into custody.
He was originally charged with one count of grievous bodily harm however on Tuesday this was upgraded to one count of striking causing death.
He will reappear at the Southport Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
Superintendent Jackson said the relationship between the two men would form a part of the investigation.
He said the alleged incident was “tragic”.
“It has ruined so many lives,” he said.
“It’s an unexpected circumstance that (a family) has to deal with, particularly this time of the year around Christmas.
“There is no time for anyone to be punching anyone in the head.”
