Bail refused for Raintrees bashing accused with court told alleged victim still in coma
A man who allegedly beat a fellow drinker into coma outside a Cairns shopping centre claimed it was a 'fair fight' before fleeing scene. What happened in court when he applied for bail.
A man accused of beating a fellow drinker unconscious outside Raintrees shopping centre claimed ‘fair fight’ to ambulance officers before fleeing, with a magistrate refusing him bail in a Cairns court on Friday.
Lionel Troyson Donald Hobson, 35, has been charged with one count of grievous bodily harm over an alleged assault on the corner of Alfred and Koch Street around lunchtime Thursday.
On Thursday a man was fighting for life in hospital with a critical head injury after a horrific alleged assault outside the west Cairns Shopping Centre.
At 1.40pm emergency services were called to the corner of Alfred and Koch Street following reports of a serious assault.
A Queensland Ambulance Service spokeswoman said on Thursday that a man aged in his 40s was taken to Cairns Hospital in a life-threatening condition.
Police at the scene cordoned off a grassed area across the road from bus stop on Koch Street.
The altercation was believed to have started at the Raintrees bus stop and involved numerous people before moving across the road.
A worker from the EG Ampol service station said on Thursday that the assault occurred across the road from their store, but due to its positioning staff witnessed only parts of the altercation unfold.
“I heard a big argument over at the bus stop,” he said.
“There was shouting and yelling as I crossed the road and next thing there was a bunch of people getting into it across the road.
The worker said a group of people regularly sat and drank across the road but had otherwise been polite and friendly to staff.
He acknowledged the area was “intense” to work in.
“It’s always pretty intense around here, some days it blows up into a disagreement and some punches are thrown,” he said.
The attendant said he was hopeful the incident may put an end to the violence in the area.
“It’s just sad it had to come to this,” he said, “Drinking all day over there … something is going to happen.”
During Hobson’s bail application on Friday morning in Cairns Magistrates Court, the court was told the alleged victim remained in a coma in Cairns Hospital and had not regained consciousness since the alleged assault.
Police prosecutor Shaquille Chong said bail was opposed, citing Hobson’s history of violence and the seriousness of the alleged crime, which she said included a kick to the back of the head and repeated blows after the man had been knocked out.
“Whether or not (the alleged victim) will regain consciousness is unknown,” Ms Chong said.
“It’s very serious - (Hobson) did make comments to the QAS that it was a ‘fair fight’ ... The victim’s unconscious; he has a serious brain injury. How can that be a fair fight?”
“He also kicked the victim in the back of the head ... and left”.
She said the alleged victim had suffered a brain bleed as a result of an aneurysm.
Hobson’s defence lawyer Erin Beer applied for bail, saying Hobson strongly denied continuing to assault the alleged victim after he lost consciousness.
“The strength of the evidence is not overwhelming ... CCTV footage did not capture the fight ... he said it was a street fight,” Ms Beer said, noting also that no weapons were used in the attack.
She said Hobson would comply with strict conditions, including abstaining from alcohol, and could stay at addresses in either Lockhart River or Cairns.
Magistrate James Morton said he regarded Hobson an unacceptable risk of failing to appear or committing further offences.
“The objection to bail affidavit tells me you are known to the victim ... a large group had been drinking at 1:30pm, and there was a disturbance between you and someone else.
“Police allege you left the area and it took some time to find you.”
Magistrate Morton ordered the police to provide a brief of evidence by December 19 and remanded Hobson in custody for further mention on January 27, 2026.
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Originally published as Bail refused for Raintrees bashing accused with court told alleged victim still in coma
