An Australian man was killed in a pub last year after being struck several times on the head by a Co Kildare man wielding a hatchet, the Darwin Supreme Court has been told.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr Rex Wild, told the court yesterday that marks on Mr Greg Bebensee's head could have been caused by blows from a combination hatchet, which is also used as a camping tool.
The defendant, Mr Trevor John Stokes (26), of Naas, Co Kildare, allegedly showed a friend, Mr Lee McLaughlin, the murder weapon with blood on it and told him: "I just killed a man." It is alleged Mr Stokes also produced a wallet and told Mr McLaughlin it was taken from the man he had killed.
Mr Wild was opening the Crown case in the trial of Mr Stokes, who is charged with the murder of Mr Bebensee (20) on June 6th last year. Mr Stokes has pleaded not guilty. Mr Wild told the court evidence indicated Mr Bebensee was knocked down from behind and dragged a short distance.
He said Mr Bebensee's death was caused by injuries to his head, including lacerations to the brain due to a frontal fracture of the skull. The wounds to the forehead were consistent with that of the hatchet section of the camping tool.
The court heard that Mr Stokes told Mr McLaughlin he killed the man after a difference of opinion in an Irish pub.
Mr Wild said Mr Stokes later told Mr McLaughlin he had followed the man with a view to mugging him. The DPP said Mr McLaughlin directed police to the wallet, which was found hidden in bushland off a dirt track. The combination hatchet has never been recovered. The trial continues today.