A man accused of brutally murdering a father-of-two has been denied bail after being declared an unacceptable flight risk.
Matthew Berry, 37, was found dead with injuries to his head and upper body at a home at Mount Tamborine on the Gold Coast on June 29, 2023.
He was living at the home after separating from his wife Edwina, who made the grim discovery.
Mr Berry’s childhood friend Daniel Robert McJannett, of Paradise Point, was charged with the murder a week later.
He was also accused of stealing CCTV equipment from Mr Berry’s home and possessing a large amount of cannabis.
Police alleged McJannett bashed his friend to death with a gym weight, just two years after he stood beside Mr Berry as a groomsman at his wedding.
The now-39-year-old faced the Queensland Supreme Court in Brisbane on Thursday via video-link to apply for bail on his own behalf.
Mr Berry’s family and friends, including his estranged wife, attended Thursday’s court hearing.
Father-of-two Matthew Berry (pictured on his wedding day) was found dead by his estranged wife at a Mount Tamborine home in 2023
Daniel Robert McJannett (pictured) is accused of murdering his childhood friend Matthew Berry. He lodged a bail application on Thursday, which was refused
Matthew Berry’s family and friends (right) are pictured leaving Brisbane Supreme Court on Thursday after his alleged killer was refused bail
Due to the seriousness of the charge, McJannett needed to show cause for why his detention was unjustified, Justice Peter Callaghan said.
‘He has been convicted many times for drug-related offending and there is also a record for weapons offending,’ the judge said.
‘There is nothing that suggests he was capable of the violence that attended the brutal murder for which he is now charged.’
McJannett said he would look for work and ‘things like that’ if he was granted bail, confirming he was a qualified glazier and crane operator.
Crown prosecutor Zachary Kaplan opposed bail, as the defendant had a history of committing serious offences while on bail and parole.
‘The case against him in relation to murder is a strong one,’ Mr Kaplan said.
‘When he is before the Supreme Court on trial, it will mark the third time in ten years he has been before the state’s most significant court and now for the most serious offence in our criminal code.’
He questioned the value of McJannett’s pledge to attend counselling for ‘some unknown, untreated, undiagnosed and underlying feature’ if granted bail.Â
Matt Berry was found dead at a home owned by his mum and stepfather on the Gold Coast hinterland two years ago. Pictured are police examining the crime scene
Daniel Robert McJannett (right) was a groomsman at his childhood friend’s wedding just two years before the alleged murder
‘That all casts the inevitable conclusion that Mr McJannett is an unacceptable risk of committing further offences,’ Mr Kaplan said.
Justice Callaghan said McJannett had made valid submissions but even stringent bail conditions would not be suitable.
‘He faces a potentially strong case and the consequences of conviction will be severe so his incentive to flee is high,’ he said.
‘His record for drug offending by itself suggests he is a risk of further offences if granted bail.’
Justice Callaghan refused bail and noted both McJannett and prosecutors wanted the case to proceed swiftly to trial.
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Major update after groomsman accused of bashing his childhood friend to death with a gym weight