Danny Talbot death: Gregory Colin Humphries, Jonathon Lee Humphries and Kirk Angus Boyce found not guilty

Tears of relief were shed by family members as the three men accused of playing a part in the death of a Bunbury father during a 2019 street brawl were found not guilty. Gregory Colin Humphries, 22, Jonathon Lee Humphries, 20, and Kirk Angus Boyce, 27, embraced in the Busselton District Court after a jury declared the men not guilty of assault occasioning death after three hours of deliberation. The charges, which were heavily defended in a 13 day trial, related to a street fight outside Fitzgerald’s Irish Bar in May 2019 which saw Danny Talbot, 56, die from head injuries caused by a one punch attack. State prosecutor Craig Astill had argued that while a fourth man threw the fatal punch, Greg Humphries has instigated the fight after Mr Talbot had headbutted and punched him earlier that night, supported by Jonathon Humphries and Mr Boyce. The three men were, however, found guilty of assault occasioning bodily harm in relation to Mr Talbot’s son, Callan Talbot, who had been assaulted by the men throughout the fight in his attempts to aid his father. Michael Joubert, representing Gregory Humphries, had argued the men did not plan the brawl but had reacted spontaneously in fear and self-defence after having been both assaulted, threatened and racially insulted by the older man. It had been put forward by multiple witnesses Mr Talbot called both Humphries men “cheeky little black c**ts” for using the term “bro” which was disrespectful and “Maori talk”, and following his assault he had threatened to wait for Gregory Humphries outside and take him “out bush” to bury him. “To some extent as unfortunate as it was Mr Talbot was the author of his own misfortune in many respects,” he said. “(Gregory) went to the toilet and was assaulted suddenly and without provocation by a man 36 years his senior.... he suffered a king hit via a headbutt followed by a punch.” The guilty verdict for the second charge came after CCTV of the 58-second street brawl also showed all three men either punch or restrain Callan Talbot as his attempted to come to the aid of his father. Callan Talbot had given evidence during the trial he had suffered soreness in his jaw for three days following the attack. Following the verdicts, the three men were allowed to return home until their sentencing date on October 6.