Damian Kyle Beckerleg: Forensic pathologist finds victim’s cause of death as “multiple sharp force wounds”

A forensic pathologist has told a Bunbury Supreme Court jury an alleged murder victim was ultimately killed by “multiple sharp force injuries”. Dr Reimer Junckerstoff took the witness stand to give evidence on Thursday during Supreme Court trial of Eaton man Damian Kyle Beckerleg, 43, accused of murdering her son James Shane Reimers, 43, in May last year. Dr Junckerstoff told the court he and another doctor performed a post-mortem examination of Mr Reimers in the days after he was killed on Cleveland Bay Avenue and prepared a report detailing Mr Reimers’ injuries. Dr Junckerstoff said he determined Mr Reimers’ cause of death to be “multiple sharp force injuries” which also included a collapsed lung, internal bleeding and large wounds to his arms and legs. The court was told Mr Reimers’ had many cuts and abrasions throughout his body varying in lengths and depth, showing evidence of a “bare-handed scuffle”. Dr Junckerstoff spoke of two penetrative wounds to Mr Reimers’ upper chest, which he believed could be attributed to an arrowhead that was taken from the driveway of Mr Beckerleg’s Cleveland Bay Avenue home. Dr Junckerstoff also referred to another penetrative wound that pierced through Mr Reimers’ chest and exited through his back, as well as large “V-shaped” wounds on his arms and legs including one that reached Mr Reimers’ femur bone. When shown a photo of the samurai sword Mr Beckerleg allegedly used in his attack, Dr Junckerstoff said the sword could have caused the larger chest wound and the wounds to Mr Reimers’ arms and legs, where several major arteries and veins were severed. While Dr Junckerstoff could not determine exactly how much force might have been used to cause the varying wounds, he said a significant amount would have been needed to cut through bone. “The amount of force needed to cut through bone is significantly more than the amount of force needed to cut through skin and muscle,” he said. Dr Junckerstoff also told the court it was difficult to know exactly how long Mr Reimers’ remained conscious during the attack. “Once you lose about a litre and a half of blood, you quickly deteriorate,” he said. “It is possible Mr Reimers would have become unconscious in less than a minute.” The court was later told of Mr Beckerleg’s injuries he received during the alleged assault, which included a cut above his right eye, swelling and bruising to his right cheek, a cut and swelling to his left ear and several abrasions throughout his body. Mr Beckerleg also received injuries to his upper thigh and buttock after he was bitten by a police dog during his arrest when he allegedly tried to escape the clutches of arresting officers. Toxicology reports of both Mr Beckerleg and Mr Reimers showed evidence of alcohol and cannabis in their system at the time of offending. Chemical pathologist and toxicologist Dr Jonathon Grasko said the levels of alcohol shown in both men’s systems would have likely caused intoxication while the level of cannabis would have been “a baseline” for a regular user. However, when asked if there was a direct link between intoxication and violence, Dr Grasko said it was difficult to judge because alcohol can have varying effects on people. “Alcohol does not force someone to become violent or act in a particular way,” he said. “It facilitates your reaction based on a thought. “If you have a violent thought, when you are intoxicated you are more likely to act on it than if you were sober because you’re disinhibited.” The trial continues.