A Queensland man has gone on trial accused of murdering his housemate soon after the victim came into a large sum of money.

October 15, 2018

A man accused of beating his ill housemate to death in a small Queensland town had argued with the victim over money on the day the man died, a court has heard.

William Arthur Feeney, 56, has denied the murder of Bruce Flynn, 60, at Nanango on September 11, 2015, and went on trial on Monday in the Brisbane Supreme Court after pleading not guilty.

Opening her case against Feeney, crown prosecutor Dzneita Balic told the jury Mr Flynn died four months after he received a $28,200 benefits payout from MLC.

On the day of Mr Flynn’s death, the pair had argued about where the money had gone, since it had been withdrawn from the deceased’s bank account in “two large chunks”, she said.

She said Feeney told investigators he didn’t take the money but he had a big sum shortly after the money arrived.

“About three weeks after the deceased came into (the money) the accused, for the first time in about three and half years, was able to suddenly have $5000 to pay off a loan,” she told the court.

The pair lived on a two-hectare property on the edge of town, but neighbours houses were 150 metres away and heard the pair fighting.

Ms Balic said the neighbours were used to hearing the accused abuse Mr Flynn but they said it was the worst they’d ever heard on the day of his death.

“At one point in time (a neighbour) heard a thud coming from the direction of that particular house,” she said, adding it was about 4pm.

It was relevant because a triple-zero call was made at 4.12 pm by the accused, Ms Balic said.

Mr Flynn died from a severe beating to the left side of his body, which lacerated his spleen and caused internal bleeding, along with fractures to his shoulder and ribs.

His death was hastened by an existing heart condition and blocked arteries, Ms Balic said.

Defence lawyer Peter Richards said Feeney did not cause Mr Flynn’s death .

“Other than applying external cardiac compression, Mr Feeney didn’t apply force of any kind,” he said.

“(He) did not punch of kick him. Mr Feeney did not strike his body using a weapon.”

The trial continues.