Sydney builder Shaun McNeil refused bail over Daniel Christie alleged murder
Updated
A Sydney builder has been refused bail on a fresh charge of murder over the one-punch death of teenager Daniel Christie.
Twenty-five-year-old Shaun McNeil was at Central Local Court this morning but remained in the cells as his case was heard.
Daniel Christie, 18, died in hospital on Saturday after the attack at Kings Cross on New Years Eve.
Mr Christie had been in a critical condition for 11 days before his family made the decision to turn off his life support.
Following his death, NSW Attorney-General Greg Smith had asked the acting director of public prosecutions to closely examine the case with a view to determining if murder charges were appropriate.
Prosecutors will have to prove McNeil intended to kill Mr Christie or that he acted with reckless indifference to human life.
He could face life in prison if the case is proven.
McNeil is also accused of assaulting four other people that night.
He did not apply for bail and it was formally refused.
The case has been adjourned until March.
Topics: courts-and-trials, murder-and-manslaughter, kings-cross-2011
First posted
Thursday morning, members of the  of New South Wales, Australia, discussed drafts of two bills relating to liquor intoxication assault crimes starting at 10 o'clock in the morning (; 2100 ), and approved them later during the day: the Lower House approved at midday and the Upper House at 7pm. The new legislation imposes harsher penalties on behaviour under alcohol influence, and a set of other restrictions in the Sydney central business district (CBD).

The full formal names of the bills are ''Liquor Amendment Bill 2014'' and ''Crimes and Other Legislation Amendment (Assault and Intoxication) Bill 2014''. The latter was , while the former was still pending assent from the . The bills were . The latter formally commenced on Thursday except for Schedule 5, maximum fines changes, subject to commence on a day appointed by .
Parliament House, Sydney, New South Wales.  
The  said they would support the legislation before they saw it, citing support of any progress on such laws. The opposition leader, , said "We will support the Government's one-punch laws. The Government had to be dragged kicking and screaming to do something about alcohol-fuelled violence."

The parties, while actively discussing the draft, did not support amendments raised during the discussion and the bill passed more quickly than usual, on the same day. However,   (MP)  didn't support the bills, naming some issues he didn't expect the bill to address but found more important, such as "the dangerous promotions of deep discounting of alcohol, the failure to enforce responsible service of alcohol in venues and excessive liquor outlet density".

One provision defined a new offense, assault causing death while intoxicated — by alcohol or other drugs — with an eight-year . The  fines for misconduct and swearing in public were raised from 200 and $150 to $500, while the maximum fine for "continuation of intoxicated and disorderly behaviour following move on direction"  — direction "to leave a public place and not return for a specified period" — was increased from 6  ($660) to 15 penalty units ($1,650).

The legislation also restricted sales of alcohol from bottle shops in the CBD until 10pm instead of midnight.

The bill was drafted in response to death of 18-year-old teenager named Daniel Christie on January 11, following eleven days in hospital after allegedly being punched by drunk Shaun McNeil, 25, at . He allegedly also attacked Daniel's brother, Peter; McNeil's court case has been adjourned until March.


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