A Supreme Court jury in Toowoomba has found Maua Lagaaia not guilty of the unlawful striking causing death of Dalby man Lincoln Hoad.
Lincoln Hoad died after being punched outside a pub in Dalby in 2023. Maua Lagaaia has been cleared of all charges relating to a fatal punch on September 16, 2023 in Dalby .
A Supreme Court jury, in front of Chief Justice Helen Bowskill, handed down the verdict on Thursday afternoon. Lincoln Hoad's family and longtime partner said they are disappointed by the outcome of the trial. A Brisbane electrician has been found not guilty of the unlawful striking causing death of 32-year-old Lincoln Hoad on a drunken night out in a country Queensland town in 2023. His longtime partner, Shalika Low, left the courtroom in tears.
She told the ABC that she had been with Mr Hoad for 13 years, and he had told his friends the day before his death that he was going to propose to her.
"He was in such a good mood that day — he had told his work mates he was going to buy a ring in the following week," Ms Low said. On September 17, Mr Hoad was taken off life support and his organs were donated. Maua Lagaaia, 36, was cleared of all charges and released from the dock and returned to sit with his friends and family after hearing the jury's verdict.
The verdict brought to a close a four-day trial in Toowoomba's Supreme Court. During the trial, the court heard it only took six seconds for Lincoln Hoad to be knocked to the ground. Mr Lagaaia punched him in the jaw and he suffered "unsurvivable" injuries to his brain when he fell and hit his head. ABC Southern Qld: Grace NakamuraThose six seconds were caught on CCTV cameras at the Australian Hotel in Dalby, 200 kilometres west of Brisbane.
Evidence about the night included allegations of a racial slur used, a selfie with an Olympian, and a "karate kick". The court heard Mr Lagaaia and his friends had travelled earlier that day from Brisbane to Dalby for the Dalby races. They started drinking when they arrived in town just after midday and continued drinking late into the night.
At one point, Mr Lagaaia took a selfie with renowned Australian Olympian speed skater Steven Bradbury, who was at the same pub in Dalby. It was at that pub, the Criterion Hotel, that Mr Lagaaia and Mr Hoad crossed paths for the first time. CCTV footage seen by the jury showed Mr Hoad sitting by himself in the pokies room, before Mr Lagaaia approached him.
"Nice win on the pokies," Mr Lagaaia said to him, according to evidence given in court by his friends. Several hours later, they ran into each other again. In the closing addresses, Mr Lagaaia was characterised by his defence barrister as a "friendly, jovial" man who loved to joke around, and by the Crown prosecutor as a "drunken buffoon" who "acted aggressively".
The jury heard contradictory versions of how the fight started, despite it being captured on the Australian Hotel's CCTV cameras. Despite differing on who instigated the confrontation, it was accepted as fact that Mr Lagaaia landed the punch that led to Mr Hoad's death. On Tuesday, forensic pathologist Dr Nathan Milne told the court the punch was "mild to moderate" in force, but the impact of Mr Hoad's head hitting the ground caused increased skull pressure and brain haemorrhage.
"The law doesn't expect people in such situations to make perfect decisions," Mr Eberhardt said. The charge of unlawful striking causing death was introduced in Queensland in 2014 as a response to an increase in "coward-punch" or "one-punch" deaths. Lincoln Hoad's family said they felt deeply disappointed at the outcome of the trial. Lincoln Hoad with his parents.
"One lady that attended was an elderly lady who would ensure she'd be out by her mailbox each morning by 6:45am to make sure she could get a big wave and smile from her favourite plumber that would drive by each morning," she said. Ms Low said their love, once "vibrant and full of promise" was now a reminder of everything she'd lost — her dreams, future, and sense of self.
"I miss his insight, his wit, his huge smile, his warm embrace.
Lincoln Hoad Supreme Court Toowoomba Dalby Punch Death Jury Chief Justice Helen Bowskill
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