Potential charge upgrade after punch death

WA Police may upgrade charges against an alleged attacker after a one-punch assault victim died in hospital.

Charges against a 27-year-old man may be upgraded after a one-punch attack victim died in hospital.

Jason Goodwin, also 27, was assaulted on the afternoon of September 20 at the Silver Sands Tavern in Mandurah and taken to Royal Perth Hospital with severe brain bleeding and skull fractures.

Three days later, police charged his alleged attacker with grievous bodily harm and also charged a 48-year-old woman with being an accessory after the fact to an indictable offence.

Supporters of the Facebook page Stop the Coward Punch have posted messages calling for justice.

"RIP Jason and heartfelt condolences to your family and friends ... to the judge who will eventually hear this case we beg you ... make a stand. Hand out the penalty deserved for this crime. We as a nation will support you," one message read.

Mr Goodwin's cousin Mark Duncan described him as a great soul.

"Was not going to be long we was off to Bali," he posted.

Mr Goodwin was reportedly having a beer and a game of pool with his brother when he was suddenly attacked, and had been in a coma since.

Ash Kavanagh, who set up a GoFundMe page to pay for Mr Goodwin's medical costs, said his mother had worked with him until recently on a mining campsite.

"Only last week when returning from her stint on the camp, she was telling me what a fantastic guy he is and as we were talking, he rang her to tell her that he had just been 'let go'," Mr Kavanagh wrote.

Donations and condolence messages are flowing on the page, which has raised $1180.


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Source: AAP



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