A senseless brawl outside a north Queensland pub has left a man in a coma and a town rallying in support.
On Friday, 18 November around 11pm an altercation began between a group of men outside the Court House Hotel in Charters Towers, around 130 kilometres south-west of Townsville.
Attempting to break up the fight, local man 45-year-old Steven Tait was reputedly punched in the back of the head by 21-year-old Tennison Fredrick Auld.
Tait was knocked unconscious, and fell to the pavement. He was rushed to Charters Towers Hospital then flown to Townsville Hospital, with severe head and brain injuries.
Auld was charged with causing grievous bodily harm and last week appeared in Townsville Magistrates Court. He had no criminal history, and Magistrate Steven Mosch granted him bail with conditions. He is scheduled to reappear 1 February.
There has been an outpouring of emotion for Tait, who is married with two children, living an hour and a half’s drive from the hospital.
Locals have begun a MyCause page to raise money to help Steven Tait and Family – Charters Towers.
The Hotel is asking all patrons to please pay a gold coin donation upon entry.
Aiming to reach $50,000 to support Kylee and the children, the drive has now surpassed $26,000.
“There are no winners out of this and it’s an awful set of events which will have an impact on everyone involved,” detective acting Inspector Phil Watts told the Townsville Bulletin.