Liam Jurrah trial, Day 4: Alleged victim in the witness box

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By KIERAN FINNANE
 
Basil Jurrah, alleged victim of an assault by Liam Jurrah causing serious harm, has given evidence in cross-examination about his drinking on the day. He said he bought a two litre “four corner bottle” of Jim Beam to drink at his aunty’s house at Hidden Valley town camp. This was after having started drinking earlier in the day at “the Riverside” [bar] and in the “town creek”.
 
He denied having a weapon in his hands when he got to Little Sisters town camp on the night of March 7, 2012 but said he had the bottle of Jim Beam in his pocket. He described himself as “half shot”. His evidence was confused about the reason for going to Little Sisters. Under some pressure from questioning he admitted that he went there “to fight the enemy”, having agreed that the enemy was the Walker-Granites family, but later insisted that he went there only to drink and asserted again that he had no weapon.
 
He agreed that it was “family obligation” that took him to the camp but has resisted the suggestion, put by Jon Tippet QC, counsel for Liam Jurrah, that the obligation resulted in an intention to fight. This issue may be explored further this afternoon.
 
In his evidence in chief, Basil Jurrah said he was “tripped” in the back yard of House One at Little Sisters by “Mini-me” (Christopher Walker) who also hit him on the head with a steel. Then, he said, he was hit twice by Liam Jurrah on the head with a machete. He said Liam Jurrah also had a nulla nulla and hit him three times on the leg with it.
 
He has so far resisted Mr Tippet’s suggestion that he did not see Liam Jurrah hit him, though he admits that the first blow he received to the head was from behind and he was dizzy, and also that there were a lot of people running around, yelling and talking.
 
Pictured: After yesterday’s disturbances outside the court, mounted police took up position near the steps for part of this morning.  Liam Jurrah’s legal team is seen leaving the court in the lunch break today.

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