Self-defence under s 271 of the Criminal Code (Qld) is not raised merely by evidence that the complainant may have thrown punches during an altercation; there must be evidence capable of supporting the proposition that the specific blow which caused injury was reasonably necessary for the accused's defence against an unlawful assault. A transcript of prior proceedings is not the best evidence of what was said; the audio tape is, and a trial judge may properly decline to permit cross-examination based on a transcript believed to be in error while offering to locate the tape.
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