Northern NSW man Trent Murray, 20, today pleaded guilty in Coolangatta Magistrates Court to assault occasioning bodily harm.

 

Prosecutor Sergeant Jim Pedlow said police were called to the Sands Hotel just after midnight on July 4 after reports a man had been 'king hit' and knocked unconscious outside the pub.

 

Murray and another man were detained after running towards the beach having discarded their shirts.

 

Sgt Pedlow said video surveillance footage showed Murray casually approach Morrison as he chatted to with a hotel staffer.

 

Murray had then lunged at Morrison and struck him 'violently' to the head, causing him to fall and hit the footpath.

 

As the prosecutor was reading the facts, Ms Magee intervened and declared she had acted for Morrison 'some years ago' when she was a solicitor. She offered to disqualify herself from the case and Murray's solicitor, Russell Baxter, agreed.

 

The case was adjourned for sentencing in Southport Magistrates Court on August 5.