Whale joke allegedly leads to punch in face

A JOKE about a whale made on a night out in Surfers Paradise ended up in one man being punched in the face repeatedly, leaving him with a broken jaw, a court heard today.

Keri Eru Arapeta Ben Phillips pleaded not guilty in the Southport District Court yesterday to one count of grievous bodily harm.

Crown prosecutor Michael Mitchell told the court Phillips punched Canadian student Kazra Khakpoor after he confronted Phillips’ friend about a joke made in the Surfers Paradise Beer Garden smoking section on April 30, 2016. The joke was told after Mr Khakpoor asked for a cigarette and the friend replied only if he could name the sounds animals made.

When he asked what sound a whale made, the friend spat beer in Mr Khakpoor’s face.

Mr Khakpoor said, on the witness stand, that the joke offended him. “I found it quite offensive,” he said.

But Mr Khakpoor denied he had become enraged by the joke.

Footage of the incident played to the court showed Mr Khakpoor speaking to the man who told the joke outside the Beer Garden.

The discussion became heated and the man’s friends, including Mr Phillips, arrived.

Mr Khakpoor said during the tussle he was struck three times.

The third time, allegedly by Phillips, left Mr Khakpoor on the ground with a broken jaw.

The trial continues today.