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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) | |
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”. | |
Cole Miller, 18, died in a Brisbane hospital on Monday from what his father Steven described as “massive brain trauma”. | |
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. | |
Related: NSW introduces mandatory minimum sentencing bill for one-punch assaults | |
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. | |
Armitt said the tragedy was a “stark reminder” of why the public awareness campaign “one-punch can kill” existed. | |
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. | |
He thanked the public for inundating the family with “messages of love and hope”. | |
“Cole was a beautiful, brave young man with his whole life yet to be lived,” he said. | |
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. | |
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. |