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Cole Miller dies in Brisbane hospital after alleged one-punch attack Cole Miller dies in Brisbane hospital after alleged one-punch attack
(about 1 hour later)
Cole Miller, the 18-year-old allegedly assaulted in a Brisbane mall on Sunday morning, has died in hospital. The father of a Brisbane teenager who died after an alleged one-punch assault during a night out has described his son as “a beautiful, brave young man with his whole life yet to be lived”.
His father spoke to media shortly after Queensland police confirmed the teenager’s death in a statement on Monday. Cole Miller, 18, died in a Brisbane hospital on Monday from what his father Steven described as “massive brain trauma”.
“Cole was a beautiful brave young man, with his whole life yet to be lived,” Steven Miller said. Miller’s death came the same morning his alleged assailants – one of whom is accused of punching him in the back of the head in Fortitude Valley on Sunday morning – appeared in court on charges of grievous bodily harm.
Two young men appeared in the Brisbane magistrates court on Monday over the attack. Armstrong Renata and Daniel Jermaine Lee Maxwell, both 21, have each been charged with grievous bodily harm. However police confirmed the charges will be reviewed and the “most appropriate” charges applied. Related: NSW introduces mandatory minimum sentencing bill for one-punch assaults
Police allege Miller and a friend were approached by four men, including Renata and Maxwell, in Fortitude Valley’s Chinatown Mall about 3.30am Sunday. Acting Inspector Thomas Armitt said police were considering whether to upgrade the charges against the two men to manslaughter, murder or the new charge of unlawful striking causing death.
Maxwell allegedly asked if the pair wanted to fight before throwing a punch at both, according to police allegations summarised in court by duty lawyer Tim Clements. Armitt said the tragedy was a “stark reminder” of why the public awareness campaign “one-punch can kill” existed.
“It’s then alleged that this co-accused (Renata) has come in from behind or from the side and that’s the punch that has led to this person falling to the ground,” Clements said. Steven Miller, in an emotional public statement just hours after his son’s death, said the 18-year-old had “struggled bravely” in the intensive care unit of the Royal Brisbane and Women’s hospital with loved ones at his bedside.
Miller was taken to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s hospital with life-threatening head injuries but died on Monday. He thanked the public for inundating the family with “messages of love and hope”.
Maxwell was refused bail, while Renata made no application for bail. “Cole was a beautiful, brave young man with his whole life yet to be lived,” he said.
Police have said no others will be charged. Miller, a promising water polo player and younger brother of Olympian Billy Miller, was allegedly the victim of an unprovoked assault while walking to a taxi rank through the Chinatown mall about 3.30am on Sunday.
Miller has represented Queensland in under-20s water polo, and is a member of the Brisbane Barracudas water polo club. He is the younger brother of Australian water polo player and Olympian Billy Miller. Armitt said two men in a group of four who allegedly approached Miller at random before the alleged assault would be the only people charged.
The unlawful striking charge, introduced by the former Newman government in response to campaigns against alcohol-fuelled violence, carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and a minimum non-parole period of 15 years.
It applies to offenders who cause the death of someone after striking them to the head or neck.
Daniel Jermaine Lee Maxwell and Armstrong Renata, both 21, were remanded in custody after appearing in the Brisbane magistrates court.
The court heard that police alleged Maxwell approached Miller and a friend and asked “if they wanted to fight”.
Police alleged Maxwell threw a punch at both before Renata threw a blow that led to Miller falling to the ground.
Maxwell and Renata are due to appear again in court on 8 February.
The incident is likely to fan further public debate around the Queensland government’s bid to introduce lockout laws restricting trading in licensed venues after 1am.
The government, which wants to introduce the laws to curb alcohol-fuelled violence, has faced strong resistance from the hotels lobby and music industry figures.