An autistic teenager had his skull caved in with an axe after fighting off two men who planned to assault his stepfather, a Victorian murder trial has heard.
Joel Parker Henderson is co-accused in the murder of autistic 14-year-old Timothy "Timmy" O'Brien at a Scarsdale home, near Ballarat, in January 2013.
Crown prosecutor Christopher Dane, QC, alleges Henderson's co-accused, Darren Wilson, was in dispute with his cousin Peter Williams, Timmy's stepfather.
He said Wilson recruited Henderson and others to lure Mr Williams to the Scarsdale home to assault him.
Three females went to Mr Williams' home and asked him to come to the address because they were frightened of a prowler, Mr Dane said.
Timmy, who was very close with his stepfather, went with Mr Williams and brought a baseball bat with him.
"That loyalty cost Timmy O'Brien his life," Mr Dane told a Victorian Supreme Court jury on Monday.
Wilson allegedly jumped out wearing a Betty Boop pillowcase on his head when the group arrived, and punched Mr Williams repeatedly.
Timmy then hit Wilson a number of times with a bat, Mr Dane said.
Henderson allegedly approached with the axe and Timmy hit him with the bat as well.
Mr Dane said Henderson then chased Timmy, before ending up on top of the teenager in the backyard.
One of the females allegedly heard Henderson say, "Die, c***. Die".
Mr Dane said: "The accused picked up the axe and, while standing, hit Timmy more than once to the head ... using a chopping motion."
He said Wilson then grabbed the axe and continued to strike Timmy.
He alleged it was a "collective" attack agreed upon by the pair.
But defence barrister George Georgiou, SC, told the jury there was no such agreement, and Henderson's alleged involvement in Timmy's death was in dispute.
"We say that was at the hands of Mr Wilson, acting independently," Mr Georgiou said.
Henderson has pleaded not guilty.
The trial continues.
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