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SYDNEY - A teenager allegedly hit a New Zealand father-of-four over the head with a golf club with such force that it broke, a Sydney court has been told.
The 17-year-old boy from Mt Druitt was one of three people in court today charged with the murder of
James Tautari, 50, on a western Sydney street last Boxing Day.
Police allege Mr Tautari was attacked by a large gang of youths armed with a golf club, metal pipes and a pick handle as he walked from a fast food restaurant to his Oxley Vale home that afternoon.
A police statement of facts tendered to Parramatta Children's Court today revealed it may not have been a random attack.
A group of boys had congregated in the carpark of the St Clair fast food restaurant at about 3.30pm on Boxing Day when one of them yelled out "There's Jimbo", using Mr Tautari's nickname as the 50-year-old passed by, the documents stated.
The documents said another youth then shouted, "Not today, not today, it will sort itself out, it's not to do with me".
One of the co-accused was alleged to have replied, "You're a pussy, let's do it, let's do it".
The police facts state the youths jumped into two cars and followed Mr Tautari up the street before arming themselves and lying in wait in a pedestrian tunnel.
The youths allegedly ran at him shouting, "Come here, ya black c***", with a 17-year-old Erskine Park boy striking the first blow, taking a pick handle to Mr Tautari's legs.
The Mt Druitt boy, also 17, then allegedly smashed the golf club over the head of Mr Tautari.
"This blow hit the (Mr Tautari) in the head, causing the golf club to break," the police facts stated.
"(Mr Tautari) was struck a number of times by (the youths) with the weapons ... in the head and the body."
The youths then allegedly drove away, switching cars to avoid detection by police.
Mr Tautari's injuries were severe, including three large lacerations to the scalp, three fractured ribs, a ruptured spleen, internal bleeding and bruises all over his body.
He died in hospital the next day, despite emergency surgery.
Almost with his last conscious breath, he told ambulance officers "it was the males at McDonalds that attacked him", the police facts stated.
The two 17-year-olds applied for bail today but their application was refused by Magistrate Gary Still.
They are due to reappear in the same court on February 21 via audio-visual link.
David Wildsmith, 20, of Erskine Park, faced Parramatta Local Court today also charged with Mr Tautari's murder.
He did not apply for bail and it was formally refused by Magistrate Richard Miszalski. He is next due to face Penrith Local Court on January 18, via audio-visual link.
Yesterday, 18-year-old Luke Tatchell faced court over the same attack. He was also refused bail and is due to appear at Penrith Local Court on Friday.
Another co-accused, a boy aged 17, was also refused bail over the attack and is scheduled to reappear in Parramatta Children's Court on February 21.
One of the youths' families was prepared to put up A$1.1 million ($1.27 million) in bail, but the judge refused.
- AAP
