Bouncer convicted of ‘one-punch’ killing of Irishman in Australia

A 23-year-old bouncer has been found guilty of the manslaughter of Irishman Thomas Keaney in Western Australia in December 2013.

Abbas Al Jrood punched Mr Keaney (23) outside a kebab shop in the Perth suburb of Northbridge during a fight over a chair.

The attack happened on December 17th, 2013 and Mr Keaney, from Ballyconneely, Co Galway, died in hospital 10 days later. His condition initially improved to the point where he spoke to his parents by phone from the hospital, but he started to deteriorate on Christmas Eve.

Al Jrood's lawyer Ken Bates told the Western Australia Supreme Court his client forcefully pushed Mr Keaney on his jaw, fearing for his own safety, using a technique he learned as part of his crowd controller training.

He said the death was a “tragic accident”.

The jury heard evidence a fight erupted after a chair being used by Al Jrood was taken by people in Mr Keaney’s group outside the Euro Kebabs shop.

Laura Christian, prosecuting, said another man was attacked by members of the accused's group before Al Jrood, who was called derogatory names, snuck up on the "defenceless" victim and punched him to the back of the head. "He would not have seen it coming," she said.

Mr Keaney fell backwards, hit his head on the ground and suffered a brain injury.

Mr Bates said Al Jrood saw Mr Keaney’s hand go into a woman’s handbag and he thought he might be reaching for a weapon. The lawyer also said as Mr Keaney was drunk he did not have the proper protective mechanisms to break his fall.

The jury took around four and a half hours to find Al Jrood guilty of manslaughter.

Members of Mr Keaney's family came to Perth from Ireland for the trial. After the verdict his sister Lauren called for an end to one-punch attacks, often known as "coward's punches" in Australia.

“This coward’s punch has got to stop. The effects (don’t) just affect one family, it affects two, it tears us apart,” she said. “The coward’s punch has shattered our lives and we ask everyone to realise the risk in partaking in such actions. We would never want anyone to go through this type of loss.

“Thomas was such a great man. He had seen a future for himself in Western Australia and it was just an unjustifiable end to such a person.”

Al Jrood was remanded in custody until a sentencing hearing in July.