Murder downgraded

A TEEN accused of murdering a Good Samaritan during a violent home invasion on the Gold Coast two years ago is set to have his charge downgraded.

In the Supreme Court this morning a barrister acting for the 19-year-old told Justice Glenn Martin that the Director of Public Prosecutions was set to drop the murder charge.

Barrister Chris Wilson told the court that he was confident the murder charge would be replaced with a manslaughter charge.

Justice Martin noted that the teenager had sworn an affidavit saying he was willing to plead guilty to dangerous operation of a vehicle. A DPP representative in court told Justice Martin that he could not “bind” the DPP to dropping the murder count.

The accused man was 17 when he was charged with murdering good Samaritan Darren Pullar, 50, from Yatala, at Broadbeach Waters on Boxing Day 2016.

He was alleged to have been driving the “getaway car” which hit Pullar, after he went to help his neighbour.

Prosecutors alleged the man was fleeing after breaking into a unit with a group of others.

The case will be mentioned again later this week.