During a court session, witnesses recounted seeing Cameron Duce being struck in the head amid a violent altercation that preceded his death in 2024.

Austin Lewis Blaney Ballard is facing charges of unlawful striking resulting in death, stemming from an incident in Gold Coast.

The ongoing committal hearing aims to assess whether sufficient evidence exists for Mr. Ballard to stand trial.

Several witnesses testified that Cameron Duce, 22, sustained a severe head injury when he was kicked to the ground during the altercation, ultimately succumbing to his injuries nearly a week later in a hospital.

The alleged brawl occurred near the Burleigh Heads nightlife area in the early hours of September 22, 2024, leading to Mr. Ballard’s charges.

In Southport Magistrates Court, the committal hearing was held to evaluate the evidence against Mr. Ballard.

Witnesses described a scene of chaos. On the first day of proceedings, numerous individuals shared their observations of the incident involving Mr. Duce.

Defense attorney Scott Lynch questioned the witnesses regarding the involvement of a “dark-skinned” or “Maori” individual in the fight.

Madison Kerwin, a witness, explained that she and Mr. Duce were walking with friends along The Esplanade after a night out when a man of “Islander ethnicity,” part of a different group, became aggressive toward them.

She described how this confrontation led to multiple fights breaking out among the groups.

Harrison Mohring, a friend of Mr. Duce, testified that while he was shaking hands with two individuals attempting to defuse the situation, he saw a “dark-skinned man” run toward his friend and tackle him, which escalated the violence.

He recounted seeing someone kick Mr. Duce but could not identify the assailant, noting, “It was directly to the head.”

Mohring also stated that after Mr. Duce fell, he observed members of the other group heading towards a Nissan Navara.

Michael Crowther, a resident of a nearby sixth-floor apartment, witnessed a brief segment of the confrontation from his balcony. He described the kick as precise, stating it appeared to send Mr. Duce falling back in slow motion, resulting in a head injury.

Crowther immediately contacted emergency services after witnessing the alleged fatal kick.

His partner, Maree King, who also observed the incident, mentioned that she did not see any fighting prior to the alleged attack but witnessed a “darker-skinned” man approach aggressively and kick Mr. Duce, who was retreating. Afterward, she saw the alleged attacker leave the scene in a vehicle, though she could not confirm its make.

Another witness, Chelsea Sneyd, shared her observations from her balcony for about 15 minutes. She noted that while there was a lot of shouting and attempts at fighting among the groups, it did not appear to escalate to a dangerous level initially. She ultimately saw a man kick another individual to the ground before moving north along the esplanade.

After the first day of hearings, Cameron Duce’s mother, Sonia Duce, expressed her heartbreak outside the courtroom. “We feel just really sad,” she said.

His father, Chris Duce, conveyed their desire for justice for their son, stating, “We’ve been waiting to get to this stage, and now we’re here, it’s hard. There’s no good outcome.”

The hearings are set to continue.