Man dies after eating poison at party

30th November 2009

MYLES Edward Stritzke pleaded not guilty this morning in Rockhampton Supreme Court to a charge of manslaughter over the death of Bronte James Clifford.

Mr Clifford died on June 8 last year at a party in Rockhampton after consuming the poison strychnine, which is often used to kill rats.

The jury was sworn in at 10.30am for the trial, which is expected to end this week.

Crown prosecutor Richard Pointing outlined the case to the jury.

Mr Pointing said Stritzke took the poison to the party in a clip-sealed bag.

He said that during the night, Mr Clifford licked his finger, stuck it in the bag and licked the poison off his finger.

Mr Pointing said when Mr Clifford arrived at the party he was "boasting" that he had just consumed two grams of the drug ice.

The Crown Prosecutor said an autopsy report would show that Mr Clifford had no trace of the dangerous amphetamine in his system, only strychnine.

See tomorrow's Morning Bulletin for the evidence from the man who tried to revive Mr Clifford.