Accused road rage murderer faces Qld court

Lionel Patea, a former member of the Bandidos bikie gang, allegedly ran Tara Brown, 24, off the road before violently beating her with a pole.

In the Southport Magistrates Court this morning Patea appeared expressionless via video link.

Police will have until October 28 to compile the brief of evidence against Patea and he will next appear in court via video link on November 11.

As he sat with his heavily tattooed arms folded in front of him, the 24-year-old nodded when Magistrate Colin Strofield asked if he understood the charge against him had been upgraded to murder.

“My expectation is that would be facilitated”, Mr Strofield said.

They were the only words he uttered throughout the hearing.

Patea was charged with attempted murder at a bedside hearing in Gold Coast University Hospital last week where he was recovering from self-inflicted wounds, before Ms Brown died from the injuries she sustained.

Ms Brown was forced off the road and bludgeoned to death by her partner on the Gold Coast.

Patea’s lawyer, Campbell MacCallum, told the court he was seeking assurances his client would receive access to a psychiatrist.

Mr MacCallum said he had been seeking the assistance for about a week but now had an appointment booked on Friday.

“We have been granted an hour so far”.

“Firstly, deepest sympathies to Ms Brown’s family, it’s a disgusting tragedy”, he said.