Patrick Cronin was trying to help a friend before alleged coward punch that caused his death
A TEEN who died after a one-punch attack had been trying to rescue a friend from a pub brawl when he suffered the fatal blow, a court has heard.
Law & Order
Don't miss out on the headlines from Law & Order. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A TEEN who died after a one-punch attack had been trying to rescue a friend from a pub brawl when he suffered the fatal blow, a court has heard.
After allegedly being punched to the head, 19-year-old Patrick Cronin continued to help his mate to safety.
But the keen footballer died the next day from injuries prosecutors allege were caused from a single punch by Andrew Lee.
Mr Lee 34, has pleaded not guilty to a single charge of manslaughter and is standing trial in the Supreme Court.
Opening the Crown case today, prosecutor Brendan Kissane told the jury Mr Lee punched Mr Cronin once to the side of the head during a brawl at the Windy Mile pub in Diamond Creek on April 16 last year.
The men were not known to each other but were at the pub with separate groups of friends when a verbal altercation broke out between some other men.
A brawl ensued and Mr Cronin was trying to help a friend when he was hit, Mr Kissane said.
“Patrick was not facing the accused, he was trying to help his friend,” he said.
“At the time the accused man threw the punch, there was simply no necessity to intervene, there was no necessity for him to do that. He had not come to anyone’s defence.
“What the law says is that if you punch somebody to their head and you cause an injury, then that is deemed to be a dangerous act.”
Mr Cronin had been at the pub with friends having earlier played football with his brother Lucas.
The group had been drinking at a friend’s house nearby before walking to the pub.
Mr Lee had been at a Rodney Rude show at a Doncaster hotel before he headed to the Windy Mile with friends.
He had been there less than an hour before becoming involved in the pub brawl.
Footage showing the attack on Mr Cronin was played to the jury.
“It was a single punch and it hit him to the side of the head,” Mr Kissane said.
“What resulted from that was that there was a fracture that was caused to Patrick Cronin’s head … that fracture caused a bleed … there was a bleed into the brain, pressure build up … and that is what caused Patrick’s death.”
Responding to the Crown’s opening defence counsel Peter Morrisey, SC, said the Crown had to prove Mr Lee actually made contact with Mr Cronin.
“Did he actually make any contact with Pat Cronin … did he cause the death? Or is there the reasonable possibility that something else did?” he said.
He also said the jury had to be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Lee hadn’t entered the brawl in the defence of someone else.
“Why did he step in? What’s quite obvious is he doesn’t step in for a while and then he does. Something brings him in,” he said.
He said one thing wasn’t in issue in the case, Mr Cronin had done nothing wrong.
“You are going to hear no criticism of him whatsoever in this case,” he said.
“He had a fighting friend. Mr Cronin went in to a situation where fists were flying. That doesn’t mean he’s at fault. He wasn’t. He was trying to help a friend.”
The trial, before Justice Lex Lasry, continues.