Alleged victim of Lighthouse Hotel pub assault died after being removed from life support

A Burnett Heads man who suffered critical injuries in an alleged pub altercation involving a volunteer lifeguard, and witnessed by his young daughter, has died after being taken off life support.

Father Matthew Hayes has died from injuries sustained in an alleged assault in Burnett Heads on Tuesday.

The father who sustained critical head injuries in a fight at a Burnett Heads hotel has died after being removed from life support on Friday.

A Queensland Police Service spokeswoman confirmed that Matthew James Hayes, 38, of Burnett Heads died in Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital on Friday night.

The charges for Mitchell Kieran Joyce, the 27-year-old Burnett Heads man charged with grievous bodily harm in relation to an alleged altercation with Mr Hayes at the Lighthouse Hotel on Tuesday have not been upgraded at this time, the QPS spokeswoman said.

Mr Joyce appeared before Bundaberg Magistrates Court on Friday for a bail application while on a charge of grievous bodily harm in relation to the alleged altercation on Tuesday evening.

Magistrate John McInnes told the court Mr Hayes had allegedly been behaving “in a way which was causing a disturbance, or in a provocative way” that involved the girlfriend of Mr Joyce’s brother, who was also at the hotel at the time.

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Mr McInnes said Mr Joyce was alleged to have run towards Mr Hayes and shoved him “with force,” causing him to fall to the ground with his head hitting the bitumen driveway at the front of the hotel.

Witnesses told police they were able to hear Mr Hayes’ head hit the driveway from a distance of 20m.

The court heard Mr Hayes’ young daughter was at the hotel and witnessed the incident.

Mr Hayes lay motionless for some time, and was semi-conscious and able to stand up and place himself on an ambulance stretcher when emergency services arrived about 8.30pm.

Mr Hayes was flown to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital with a brain bleed and skull fracture sustained in the altercation.

The ambulance transported Mr Hayes to Bundaberg Hospital for further assessment, where medical staff determined that he had sustained a brain bleed due to a skull fracture.

The court heard Mr Hayes was airlifted to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital later that evening due to his deteriorating condition.

Police prosecutor Leon Casey told the court police had received an update from the hospital informing them that Mr Hayes’ life support would be turned off on Friday morning.

Mr Casey opposed bail due to the serious nature of the offence and the fact that the charges would be upgraded to more serious charges if Mr Hayes were to die as a result of his injuries.

Mr Joyce had breached his bail conditions in relation to previous charges laid in 2018, and had a history of failure to appear in court for numerous offences.

His lawyer, Katie Wolff, said Mr Joyce had the support of his mother and brother, who would help ensure he met his bail conditions, including reporting to police three times per week.

The court heard Mr Joyce was aware of the serious nature of the offence and had been trying to improve himself by volunteering as a lifeguard.

In assessing his bail application, Mr McInnes noted Mr Joyce had been subject to a probation order and a suspended sentence at the time of the offence, and had been recently released from prison having served nine months for attempted child abduction.

Magistrate John McInnes refused Mitchell Joyce's bail application, noting that he was subject to a probation order and a suspended sentence at the time of the offences and had been recently released from prison after serving nine months for attempted child abduction.

“If the victim does survive, nonetheless it’s a serious example of grievous bodily harm for which even a first offender would likely get some imprisonment,” Mr McInnes said.

“Mr Joyce has a multi-page criminal record with previous sentences both for property offences and for some offences involving violence including assaults.”

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Mr McInnes refused bail, citing an unacceptable risk of Mr Joyce failing to appear and committing further offences.

Mr Joyce was remanded in custody and ordered to appear again before Bundaberg Magistrates Court on August 8.

Metro North Health Service did not provide an update on Mr Hayes’ condition when contacted.

Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service has been contacted.

A Lighthouse Hotel spokesman said police had advised him not to comment on the incident as it was under investigation.

A Queensland Ambulance Service spokesman confirmed a man in his 30s was transferred to Bundaberg Hospital with head injuries on Tuesday.

More to come.

Originally published as Alleged victim of Lighthouse Hotel pub assault died after being removed from life support