A jury will next week deliberate on the guilt of Bacchus Marsh man Christopher Marra after a startling twist in the case yesterday.
Over a number of days, the County Court at Ballarat has been told how Marra “pummelled” another man, Wayne McKay, after he arrived at a mutual ex-girlfriend’s home to return property.
But following an admission by Jacqueline Yates on Thursday that she kicked Mr McKay in the head during the alleged attack on January 30 last year, the case narrowed to a specific point.
In her closing address yesterday, Crown Prosecutor Wendy Duncan told the jury not to focus on injuries sustained to Mr McKay’s head, neck and torso – because she could not prove that Marra caused them exclusively.
She said the crown’s case now centred on the alleged stabbing of Mr McKay’s hand by Marra during the struggle.
Earlier in the trial, Mr McKay told the court how he was set-upon by Marra soon after he stepped foot inside Ms Yates’ home.
He said he raised his right hand in a defensive nature and was stabbed in the palm by Marra.
Despite the concession, Ms Duncan yesterday urged the jury to discount Marra’s version of events, which were of him restraining Mr McKay after he “took a couple of swings” at Ms Yates.
Ms Duncan said this version of events was “unbelievable”.
In his closing address yesterday, defence counsel Simon Moglia told the jury to focus on the “changing evidence” from several witnesses, including the alleged victim Mr McKay.
He emphasised there were differences between the earlier accounts of the afternoon given to police, and what was later said in court.
Marra is charged with intentionally causing injury, recklessly causing injury and making threats to kill.
Judge John Carmody will give the jury instructions on Monday morning, before it retires to consider its verdict.