November 26, 2012

An argument over “a stupid game pool” led to a fight during which a man died, Kingaroy Magistrates Court was told today.

Stephen Doyle, 38, is charged with the murder of Michael Thomsen, 37, at Nanango on September 3 last year.

Thomsen suffered a fatal knife wound during a fight at an engagement party for his daughter, Bianca.

Witness Gordon Dennis said three men were inside the house playing pool when “Mick and his stepson started on them”.

“I walked back under the house and they were already in a big argument over a stupid game of pool,” Mr Dennis said.

He said the fight continued in the yard outside the house.

“Mick (Mr Thomsen) and his sons and a few blokes, all from the party, they were fighting with Stephen and his mates,” Mr Dennis said.

He said someone from Mick’s family had a stick about the size of a baseball bat.

“I told them all to knock it off, it’s an engagement party. They wouldn’t listen to me so I walked away,” he said.

Mr Dennis said he then saw “the skinny fellow”, one of Mick’s sons, go into the house and return with a stainless steel butcher’s knife.

“The skinny bloke was yelling out: ‘He’s got a knife, I’ve got a knife’,” Mr Dennis said.

He said he did not see anyone get stabbed but he did see Bianca get knocked out.

Mr Dennis said he went over to help Bianca and saw Stephen Doyle on the ground with a knife in his hand. He said he grabbed the knife, which had a black handle, off Stephen and threw it away.

He cut himself “a bit” with it and was given a tetanus shot at the hospital a couple of days later.

Today was the second day of a committal hearing of the murder charge against Doyle.

Doyle, who is in custody at Maryborough Correctional Centre, followed the proceedings by videolink.

The hearing will resume in Kingaroy Magistrates Court on January 15.