A club and its manager have been charged after a former surfing star died in a one-punch attack outside the quiet beachside venue.
The South West Rocks Country Club, on NSW’s Mid North coast, was on Tuesday charged with 16 offences including a licensee permitting indecency/violence on licensed premises, failing to comply with conditions of the licence and breaching the rules of a registered club.
Police found surfer Chris Davidson, 45, unconscious on the ground after being called to the club soon after 11pm on September 24, following reports a man had been punched in the face, fallen and hit his head on the pavement.
Grant Coleman (pictured), 42, was charged with assault causing death
Grant Coleman, 42, was charged with assault causing death and faced court over the incident.
‘Licensing police from Mid North Coast Police District issued court attendance notices to the club and the club’s manager on Tuesday,’ a police statement said.
The charges against the club will be heard at Kempsey Local Court on March 9.
Coleman was arrested about half an hour after the alleged assault of Mr Davidson, who represented Australia in surfing, and has been in jail since.
Both men are well-known in the area as sporting greats.
Chris Davidson (left) is pictured with a friend. Mr Davidson died after an alleged one-punch attack outside a pub on Saturday night
Coleman (pictured) was a local football star, having grown up in a sporting family with his three brothers, whom include NSW Waratahs coach Darren Coleman
The accused, whose late father Greg ‘Whale’ Coleman was a former Penrith Panthers player, grew up in South West Rocks after their dad picked up a position as a player-coach at the then-Kempsey Cowboys around 1984.
Along with his three brothers, Darren, Scott, and Matt, Coleman was heavily involved in football and has been a longstanding member of the local sporting community.
Darren Coleman is the current coach of the NSW’s rugby union team the Waratahas.
More recently, Grant was involved in coaching junior rugby team, the Smithtown Tigers, training the next wave of superstars since August, 2021.
Meanwhile, tributes have started pouring in online for Mr Davidson, who defeated American Surfing champion Kelly Slater in two consecutive heats at the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach in Victoria in 1996.
At the time, Mr Davidson was only 19, and had been admitted into the competition as a wild card.
The alleged fight occurred outside South West Rocks Country Club (pictured) on Saturday night
Both men were locals who were well known within the community. Pictured: The interior of South West Rocks Country Club
‘Lost another soldier yesterday,’ Slater wrote in a tribute on Instagram, alongside a picture of Mr Davidson.
‘Had many a good battle with this guy. One of the most naturally talented surfers I ever knew.’
Another friend said Mr Davidson had been ‘taken too soon’.
‘Thinking of your many friends worldwide and of course your family,’ she said.
‘Such a wild, kind hearted character that will be sorely missed. RIP Davo.’
A family friend who had known Mr Davidson since the wave rider was 14 said he was ‘one of the most gifted surfers’ he had ever seen.
Coleman’s lawyer James Janke told Daily Mail Australia that his client did not want to comment and maintains his right to silence.
Grant (left) and Darren (right) are pictured together in 2013 during a trip overseas
Chris Davidson (in red top) makes his way down to the beach during the Rip Curl Pro on April 24, 2011 in Bells Beach, Australia
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