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Man guilty over 'coward's punch' death

A man who fatally struck an Irishman outside a Northbridge kebab shop after a fight broke out over a chair has been found guilty of manslaughter.

A jury deliberated for more than four hours over the past two days before finding Abbas Yahya Al Jrood guilty of unlawfully killing Thomas Keaney in December 2013.

Mr Keaney died 10 days after he fell and hit his head on the road outside Euro Kebabs in the early hours of the morning.

During the trial, a jury was told Al Jrood punched Mr Keaney to the head after a fight involving three groups of people erupted at the kebab shop.

Outside court, Mr Keaney's sister Lauren called for an end to the "coward's punch".

"This coward's punch has got to stop," she said.

"It tears us apart.

"We would never want anyone to go through this type of loss. Thomas was a great man."

Thomas Keaney
Thomas Keaney

Thomas Keaney had been in Australia for 13 months when he died. Picture: Facebook

Al Jrood was denied bail by Supreme Court Justice Ralph Simmonds ahead of his sentencing.

In her opening address, prosecutor Laura Christian said Al Jrood sneaked up behind Mr Keaney and punched him to the back of the head without warning, causing him to fall onto the road.

She told the court Mr Keaney would not have seen the punch coming, arguing Al Jrood's actions had nothing to do with self-defence.

Defence lawyer Ken Bates described Mr Keaney's death as a "tragic accident" and said his client pushed, not punched, the victim.

He said Al Jrood pushed the Irishman with an open hand and clenched fingers because he thought Mr Keaney was reaching for a weapon and he feared for his safety.

Mr Keaney, who was from Country Galway, was rushed to Royal Perth Hospital with severe head injuries after the assault.

He died on December 27, 2013 after the swelling on his brain worsened.

Mr Keaney had been in Australia for 13 months and had been granted a visa extension on the day he was injured.

Al Jrood will appear in court on July 20 for a sentencing hearing.