The charges levelled against Armstrong Renata and Daniel Maxwell for the fatal, unprovoked ‘coward punch’ attack on Cole Miller have been upgraded.
After being taken into custody last night, the two men were subsequently charged with grievous bodily harm. This afternoon, hours after Miller’s death, those charges were upgraded to unlawful striking causing death.
The charge – which was only introduced to Queensland in 2014 – was introduced to “fill the gap” where the prosecution can’t prove an offender intended to cause their victim’s death. The maximum penalty the charge can provide is life imprisonment.
The two 21-year-old men will remain in custody, and are expected to appear before court again tomorrow. Detective Acting Inspector Tom Armitt said they are the only two in a group of four who were involved in the assault.
After lowering their flag to half-mast, Miller’s Brisbane Barracudas water polo team posted a statement calling the elite-level player a “fine young man” who was “reaping the rewards of his hard work.”
A prayer vigil for the 18-year-old will also be held tonight at the site of the assault in Chinatown Mall.
Story: Fairfax.
Photo: Facebook.
Photo: Facebook.
