Man accused of murdering Korean student claims he was possessed: court hears
A Brisbane Supreme court has heard a man accused of bashing a Korean student was “possessed” and troubled by a demon “his whole life”.
Korean student Eunji Ban moved to Brisbane for the trip of a lifetime.
But it’s alleged that trip was cut short by Alex McEwan four years ago.
On Monday the prosecution told jurors in his murder trial the then 19-year-old had been drinking with friends in November 2013, went out and according to prosecutor David Meredith was “looking to kill someone… the first person he met”.
That person was 22-year-old hotel cleaner Eunji Ban.
The court heard as she walked to work in Brisbane’s CBD in the early hours of the morning she was attacked and dragged to her death up 40 steps in Wickham Park where her body was found by a member of the public who saw McEwan fleeing over a fence.
Ms Ban’s family, who have flown over from South Korea, were in court when the prosecution read out graphic details about how the 22-year-old was repeatedly beaten and stomped on.
“Injuries would have been due to numerous separate blunt impacts of severe force,” Mr Meredith said.
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Mr Meredith told the court McEwan rang his friends telling them “he’d killed a girl by bashing her” – a confession he also made to police.
McEwan has pleaded not guilty to murder claiming he was possessed during the attack.
Defence barrister John Allen admitted to the court McEwan did kill Ms Ban, but argued he wasn’t of sound of mind at the time claiming insanity and diminished responsibility as a defence.
“He referred to a demon that had been troubling him his whole life,” Mr Allen said.
But police argue friends, family and colleagues didn’t notice anything unusual about McEwan in the lead up to the alleged killing.
The trial continues.
