Gold Coast couple ordered to stand trial over Dylan McPadden's alleged murder
Dylan McPadden (right) was allegedly murdered in the smoker's area of a Gold Coast pub in August 2023. (Supplied)
A man who died outside a Gold Coast pub was allegedly stabbed because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, a court has heard.
Dylan McPadden, 26, was on the phone with his girlfriend when he was allegedly stabbed through the heart in the smoking area of RQ's Tavern at Robina in August 2023.
Tyler Rewi Malcolm Hailes has been ordered to stand trial over his death, charged with murder.
Tyler Hailes had come to RQ's Tavern to fight someone else when he allegedly stabbed Dylan McPadden. (Supplied)
Mr Hailes' partner, Jade Brenda Laing, is charged with accessory after the fact to murder for allegedly driving him to and from the tavern.
At committal hearings for the pair at the Southport Magistrate's Court on Thursday, she was also ordered to stand trial.
During cross-examination, the victim's girlfriend, Amara Pato, said she heard rustling before Mr McPadden's last words: "He just stabbed me."
Ms Pato broke down in the witness box and had to take a break to compose herself before returning with a support person from the Queensland Police homicide squad.
She said Mr McPadden had been out to dinner with his parents and went to the pub alone while he waited for her to finish hanging out with her friends.
Amara Pato said she was on the phone to her boyfriend Dylan McPadden when he was allegedly stabbed. (Supplied)
A chance encounter at the pub that Thursday night ultimately led to his death, the court heard.
Mr McPadden bumped into Tip Ayerst and Will McAllister, who had been exchanging provocative text messages with Mr Hailes.
Mr McAllister testified that he told Mr Hailes to come to RQ's Tavern for a fight because Mr Hailes had threatened to kill his friend.
Mr McPadden was shown the text messages and thought the argument was "funny".
The court heard they assumed if Mr Hailes came to the pub it would just be for a "punch on".
The altercation took place outside RQ's Tavern in Robina. (ABC News: Danielle Maher)
Mr McAllister had gone inside to the bathroom and was not in the outdoor smoking area when Mr Hailes arrived.
"Tyler [Hailes] walked around the corner and said, "Where the f*** is he?" Mr Ayerst said.
"Dylan [McPadden] was at the wrong place at the wrong time and copped a hit.
"Dylan [McPadden] landed four shots back and as soon as Tyler [Hailes] realised he didn't have it over him he pulled out a knife and lunged forward.
"It was just one stab straight to the chest."
Within "five to ten seconds" of Mr Hailes' arrival, Mr McPadden was on the floor in a pool of blood.
Amara Pato (middle back) leaves the Southport Magistrate's Court with detectives after the committal hearing today. (ABC News: Mackenzie Colahan)
During Ms Pato's testimony on Thursday, there were tense moments when she glared at Mr Hailes, who sat emotionless in the dock and did not make eye contact with her.
She recalled the final phone conversation with her boyfriend.
"I know [Dylan] was really drunk. He wasn't involved in the fight he just wanted to see how it played out," she said.
"He didn't normally have anything to do with fights, he usually walked away from them."
Mr Hailes allegedly fled the scene and was arrested by police at a Mermaid Beach unit complex a few hours later.
He is facing a number of other charges including possessing a weapon, unlawful wounding and drug possession.
Jade Laing (middle) was granted bail after being ordered to stand trial for accessory after the fact to murder. (Supplied: 7 News)
Ms Laing was released on bail and Mr Hailes was remanded in custody.
Neither entered a plea and both will face a trial in the Brisbane Supreme Court next year.