Within 13 seconds, Luke Francis' life was taken away in a random and unprovoked beating that erupted inside Crown casino's food court.
On the day he should have started working at his dream job, the 29-year-old beloved tradie's family turned off his life support.
Tyson Armstrong has no reason for why he punched Mr Francis, after they exchanged a few words while walking towards an exit of the Melbourne casino in March 2022.
He had been drinking at a barbecue meat festival earlier that day, before going out to Crown that evening.
Mr Francis had been taught to walk away from fights and did not retaliate when Armstrong grabbed him from behind inside the food court, after midnight on March 26.
Armstrong put both hands around Mr Francis' chest and neck, pushing him into some railing and then punched him in the face.
Mr Francis, whose girlfriend tried to intervene, collapsed after the 13-second beating.
"You can't handle me, am I too big for you?" a witness heard Armstrong say, as his victim lay lifeless on the ground.
Armstrong walked off and was arrested by police later that evening.
Paramedics managed to revive Mr Francis and he was taken to hospital with bleeding on his brain.
However, medical specialists pronounced him brain dead and he died in hospital from the head injuries.
Armstrong, 28, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and faced a pre-sentence hearing on Monday, where dozens of Mr Francis' loved ones filled the court room and spoke of their heartache over his death.
His mother, Michelle Harris, said her world crashed down around her when she was handed a blue box holding Mr Francis' ashes.
"I gave him life and it was taken away in seconds for no reason at all," she told the Supreme Court, between tears.
"What I don't understand is how can someone have so much rage and anger over someone you don't even know? It's disgusting.
"A senseless, unwarranted, unprovoked and cowardly act took my son."
Emily Harris said her big brother was due to start his "dream career" concreting on the West Gate Tunnel on March 28, the same day that the family switched off his life support.
"Such a kind, loving, selfless, beautiful person that did not deserve this happening to him," she said.
Armstrong's barrister Carly Marcs said he was drunk and was exposed to violence from a young age.
"Mr Armstrong is ... someone who has certainly become something resembling a monster when two significant factors are present - alcohol and a male who he perceives, through his warped perception, as instigating violence," she said.
But Justice Andrew Tinney rejected Armstrong's claim that he felt Mr Francis was going to attack him.
"It's not the truth, is it? It can't be," the judge said.
Prosecutor Jordan Johnston said Mr Francis had no opportunity to react or defend himself, and the fight happened in front of hundreds of people near the food court and who may experience vicarious trauma.
Armstrong is facing up to 25 years in prison.
The hearing before Justice Andrew Tinney continues on Tuesday.
