On the night Tristan Mataora Heather went to the pub to celebrate his 18th birthday with family, he had about 20 beers and killed a beloved grandfather.
The New Zealander had been in the country for a few days when his aunt and uncle took him to see a band at the Coolangatta Hotel in December, 2015, and their evening ended in tragedy.
On Thursday the now-20-year-old was sentenced to six-and-a-half years for the fatal one-punch attack on Trevor Duroux after pleading guilty.
Tristan Mataora Heather (pictured third from right) was sentenced to six-and-a-half years for the fatal one-punch attack on Trevor Duroux
During sentencing the court heard Heather chatted and drank with family and friends until the pub closed in the early hours of December 4.
They left and, without warning, Heather punched a man in the head.
He was then seen shadow boxing a light pole and soon went to intervene in a scuffle between Mr Duroux and another man with whom they had been drinking.
With a right hook of significant force thrown from behind or beside, he knocked Mr Duroux to the ground causing him to smash his head on the road.
Mr Duroux ended up in intensive care with serious injuries and was kept alive on life support for 10 days before his family decided to turn it off.
Heather fled the scene but was later caught.
Trevor Duroux (pictured left) with his wife, ended up in intensive care with serious injuries and was kept alive on life support for 10 days before his family decided to turn it off
Mr Duroux (pictured) was knocked to the ground causing him to smash his head on the road
In a court packed with family and supporters of both Mr Duroux and Heather, Justice James Douglas described the fatal alcohol-fuelled attack as a ‘tragic case’.
Statements from three of Mr Duroux’s children were read, with all hoping justice would be served on their father’s killer.
His son, Trevor French, described the day he was told to travel to the Gold Coast as soon as possible from his home in Tamworth, about six hours away.
‘After losing my mother at a young age life was already difficult for me and my family,’ he wrote.
‘When I thought life couldn’t get any tougher I received a phone call no child should receive – your father is in hospital as a result of an act of violence and there is a slim chance he will make it.’
Mr French had slim hopes his father would pull through but was left numb when he died.
‘Imagine you’ve gone to bed and you drift straight into a bad dream, you’re anxious and frightened and cannot wait to just wake up knowing it will all be over soon,’ he wrote.
The judge sentenced to Mr Heather six-and-a-half years jail after he pleaded guilty
Family members gathered outside the court on Thursday after presenting statements in court
‘Well this is life for me, the only thing is I don’t wake up and it’s never over.’
Under Queensland’s one-punch laws, Heather won’t be eligible for parole until he serves 80 per cent of his sentence.
His sentence comes two weeks after fellow New Zealander Tamate Heke was sentenced to six years jail under the one-punch laws .
Both are expected to be deported when released.
In October, another New Zealander, Armstrong Renata, was sentenced to seven years’ jail for the one-punch attack that killed promising water-polo player Cole Miller.