Oshae Jackson Tuiasau tells one-punch kill trial the deceased was ‘coming at me’

An ex-Keebra Park football prodigy charged with the one-punch death of a Surfers Paradise reveller has told his criminal trial the punch was a split-second decision after a perceived threat.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos JUNE 2, 2025: Oshae Jackson Tuiasau arriving for the first day of his unlawful striking cuasing death trial in Brisbane. Picture: NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

A man charged with the one-punch kill of a Surfers Paradise reveller on a night out has told his criminal trial he threw the punch as he felt the deceased was “coming at me aggressively”.

Griffin man Oshae Jackson Tuiasau, 30, a former Keebra Park rugby league prodigy who played under-20s for the Gold Coast Titans, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of unlawful striking causing the death of New South Wales man Toro George, 39, in December 2021.

The Crown’s case is Mr Tuiasau struck Mr George in retaliation for an earlier alleged sexual assault at Havana RnB Nightclub. The defence says Mr Tuiasau was acting in self-defence.

DEATH PUNCH TRIAL DAY 1 RECAP

DEATH PUNCH TRIAL DAY 2 RECAP

DEATH PUNCH TRIAL DAYS 3, 4 RECAP

It also disputes the punch caused the death of Mr George, who entered cardiac arrest minutes afterwards, causing him an irreparable hypoxic-ischemic brain injury (lack of oxygen and blood flow to the organ).

Mr Tuiasau’s trial in Brisbane Supreme Court entered its fifth day on Friday, with the defendant giving evidence.

Alleged one-punch kill victim Toro George, 39. Picture: Facebook

He told the court he was at the nightclub with his party when he ran into an old school friend, Junior Marsters, a relative of Mr George’s.

He said Mr Marsters invited him and others into their VIP booth, but left after hearing Mr George ask, “Who the f--k are these people?”

Mr Tuiasau said he later became aware of a confrontation between he and Mr George’s parties when the deceased allegedly groped a woman.

He said he was “angry” but didn’t want to fight or confront the deceased.

The punch was thrown shortly after the parties were ejected from Havana RnB Nightclub on Orchid Ave in the early hours of December 19, 2021. Picture: File

Later, once the parties had been ejected from the nightclub, Mr Tuiasau said he was walking with Mr Marsters and another man, Dylan Thoroughgood, down Surfers Paradise Blvd when they came across Mr George and two other relatives of the deceased.

He said Mr George initiated conversation with him, saying, “I’m sorry, bro,” to which Mr Tuiasau responded, “It’s all good, man.”

However, according to Mr Tuiasau, as the expanded group all walked together down the street, Mr George was becoming “heightened and angry”.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos JUNE 3, 2025: Mr Tuiasau (centre) and supporters. Defence counsel Craig Eberhardt KC is on the far right. Picture: NewsWire / John Gass

Mr Tuiasau said he couldn’t hear everything Mr George was saying, as he was switching between Cook Island Maori and English, but he heard Mr George say he “doesn’t give a f--k” and “I’m getting my f---ing brothers.”

Mr Tuiasau said he told Mr George, “Don’t f---ing come near me,” and also chastised him for touching the woman in the club.

Defence counsel Craig Eberhardt KC asked Mr Tuiasau what changed in the moments before the punch was thrown.

“I felt like he was coming at me aggressively and was going to hit me,” Mr Tuiasau said.

The defendant said the punch was a split-second decision.

“I didn’t have time to think,” he said.

“He was going to attack me.”

Mr Tuiasau agreed he did not intend to seriously hurt or kill Mr George with the punch.

He denied saying, “That’s what you get,” after the delivering the punch, which a handful of witnesses had previously identified him as saying.

Mr Tuiasau said he instead told Mr Marsters, “He’s arcing up,” as in, Mr George wanted to fight.

The trial continues on Monday.

Originally published as Oshae Jackson Tuiasau tells one-punch kill trial the deceased was ‘coming at me’