Kill accused cleared

Jury finds man not guilty of friend’s death

A CAIRNS jury took less than 10 minutes to clear a man accused of killing his best mate on a Cape York camping trip gone wrong.

Shane Goodman’s shoulders dropped in relief when the jury returned its verdict.

Mr Goodman had been accused of killing his best friend Robert Irvine at Chilli Beach in 2016.

Cairns Supreme Court heard the pair scuffled on the night of July 18 after Mr Irvine had spent the day drinking.

It was alleged that after throwing punches at his best mate, Mr Irvine died after being subjected to a sleeper hold on the ground.

Forensic pathologist Dr Paul Botteril told the court he died from “neck compression”, with alcohol a “significant contributor.”

Defending counsel Eoin Mac Giolla Ri argued that his client had displayed “extraordinary restraint” in trying to avoid a fight despite being provoked and slapped in the face by the deceased.

“He punched the car so that he would not punch Robbie,” Mac Giolla Ri said.

He described Mr Irvine as a man with a criminal history who liked his “blues” and on the night in question was “full of grog”.

“(Mr Goodman) gets slapped in the face and says ‘stop it’,” he said.

“It’s kind of unbelievable that is who is in the dock ….”

Mr Mac Giolla Ri said his client’s behaviour was not that of a man who sought to hurt his best mate.

“It is not possible he lashed out to restrict the breathing of his best friend, the injuries may have occurred in the context of pushing someone off,” he said.

“Sometimes an attacker comes off second best. But it does not follow that the person who won the struggle committed the crime.

“A person defending himself cannot be expected to weigh precisely the defending action.”

Mr Goodman’s wife Cheryl earlier told the court that her husband performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Mr Irvine until he nearly collapsed.

“He felt for a pulse’ he said ‘I can’t feel a pulse, call triple-O,” Ms Goodman said.

“Shane started CPR, he was doing compressions – it was a very long time. He said, ‘ I’m exhausted, go find someone who can help me please’.”