Man on trial for engagement party death

A BACKYARD party organised to celebrate the engagement of two young women should have been a memorable event for all those who attended.

It was certainly memorable, but for all the wrong reasons.

Less than two hours after celebrations got under way the father of one of the young women was dead and her next door neighbour had been charged with his murder.

Nanango man Stephen Joseph Doyle, 41, pleaded not guilty in the Brisbane Supreme Court yesterday to murdering Laidley man Michael Tomsen, 37, at the party in Nanango on September 3, 2011.

Crown Prosecutor Michael Byrne told the court the party was far from the planned festive event.

He said that the crown’s case was that, “Stephen Doyle stabbed Michael Tomsen several times in the chest, killing him”.

“At some stage they were asked to stop playing pool and to leave the party,” he said. “As they were leaving a verbal altercation occurred in the front yard which became quite heated.

“The altercation then turned violent.”

Mr Byrne said witnesses would describe in detail about how events escalated that tragic evening.

“Several witnesses will tell you they saw Mr Doyle enter his house and come back out armed with a knife, or according to some witnesses, several knives.

“Other witnesses will then tell you they saw Mr Doyle stab Mr Tomsen several times in the chest while he was standing up.”

“Others will tell you they did not see Mr Doyle stab Mr Tomsen, but saw him hovering over the top of Mr Tomsen after he fell to the ground.”

Defence barrister Kim Bryson urged jury members to weigh up all aspects of the case that would be presented in court before forming an opinion.

The trial before Justice Ann Lyons is expected to last six days.