Disturbing footage shown

The jury at the murder trial of a French backpacker who allegedly stabbed a stranger to death on Broome’s main street has been shown disturbing evidence of the alleged victim’s final moments and been told of allegations another man is the real killer.

French national Thomas Camus, 24, has pleaded not guilty to murdering South Hedland man Kristopher Dixon, who was visiting his son in Broome, in the early hours of Christmas morning, 2011, on Dampier Terrace.

During the first week of the trial, the prosecution claimed Mr Camus, who was in Broome on a working holiday, was angry after Mr Dixon attacked his friends and flatmates — fellow Frenchmen Yoann Pineau and Simon Diguet — and stabbed him three times, including once in the heart, up against a gate outside the Roebuck Bay Hotel.

CCTV images and mobile phone footage, filmed by a witness, showed the chaotic scenes of Mr Dixon’s assault of the two Frenchmen, as well as four men repeatedly punching and kicking a wounded Mr Dixon on the road. It is believed the group of four attacked Mr Dixon in retribution for an earlier fight in the Bungalow Bar. The footage and pictures are key pieces of evidence in the case.

Chief Justice Wayne Martin is presiding over the trial, for which extra security and two court appointed French interpreters were arranged. The interpreters are translating the proceedings for Mr Camus and his family, who have flown in from France.

Mr Dixon’s family, including his father, sister and brother, were also in attendance but left the courtroom whenever the distressing mobile phone footage was shown.

State prosecutor Amanda Burrows said Mr Dixon’s blood was found on Mr Camus’ clothing and shoes and claimed the accused man did not tell police the whole truth after being arrested, including that he did not know his friends had been attacked.

Ms Burrows said Mr Camus, from the small French town of Petit-Mars and who had been working seven days a week in the laundry of the Mercure Hotel, told police he could not remember stabbing Mr Dixon, but did not believe he committed the crime.

Defence lawyer Helen Prince suggested last week that Wallace Morseu, one of the four men convicted for attacking Mr Dixon after he was stabbed, was the real killer.

On the witness stand last week, Mr Morseu denied stabbing Mr Dixon.

Mr Pineau and Mr Diguet told the jury on Friday they had little or no memory of their fateful night out after getting drunk with Mr Camus during a Christmas celebration at home.

Mr Pineau, who was due to give more evidence on Monday, said he woke up the next day in strong pain with fractures to his jaw, cheekbones, nose and chin.

Mr Dixon’s girlfriend Teagane Ramirez testified of her repeated attempts to make her agitated boyfriend stop fighting people on the street after he was evicted from the Bungalow Bar.

Her cousin Samantha Thurlow said Mr Dixon had attacked the Frenchmen after one of them choked her.

The alleged murder weapon — a folding fishing knife given to Mr Diguet from Mr Pineau as a gift — has never been found.