The guy slain in an alleged one-punch attack on the NSW Mid-North Coast on Saturday night is thought to have been a former professional surfer.
Chris Davidson allegedly received a punch from another man, leading him to fall to the ground and pass away.
In the early 1990s, Davidson was a member of the Rip Curl Search squad, and during the height of his prowess, Tracks magazine referred to him as “one of the most brilliant surfers in the world.”
He held the 14th-best overall ranking in the sport in 2010.
At the age of 19, Davidson received a wildcard to the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach, where he notably defeated Kelly Slater in two consecutive heats, launching his professional career.
At 11 p.m. on Saturday, emergency personnel were summoned to Sportsmans Way in South West Rocks in response to reports of an incident outside a licenced establishment.
A 45-year-old guy was allegedly punched in the face, knocked to the ground, and smacked his head on the pavement, according to the police report.
Paramedics attended to him at the site and then transported him to Kempsey Hospital, where he passed away shortly after arriving.
On Sunday, a crime scene was created and then analysed by trained forensic officers.
At around 12:40 in the morning, a 42-year-old man was taken into custody and transferred to Kempsey Police Station.
When Grant Coleman appeared before Port Macquarie Bail Court on Sunday, he was charged with assault resulting in death and had his bail denied.
