Grim details emerge in court after axe-wielding man was allegedly beaten to death with a scooter during street brawl

By MIKLOS BOLZA FOR AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS Published: 06:35, 7 July 2026 | Updated: 06:35, 7 July 2026 A violent streetside rampage filled with verbal abuse, a smashed window, and damaged letterboxes ended with an axe-wielding man lying dead on the street after being beaten with a scooter, a court has heard. Ashley Morgan, 38, allegedly brought an axe when he met his on-again, off-again girlfriend before the violent episode unfolded in the early hours of April 9, 2024, in Raymond Terrace, north of Sydney. He was allegedly confronted by Kane Flanders and his brother, who came out of their homes and told the couple to keep the noise down because it was distressing their dogs, a court has been told. Flanders, 32, is on trial in the NSW Supreme Court after pleading not guilty to murder in relation to hitting Mr Morgan with his scooter before his death. In his opening address, Crown prosecutor Brendan Queenan told the jury Mr Morgan had taken an axe to the street outside Flanders' home, thinking someone had taken his drugs and was fleecing his bank accounts after stealing his phone. The court heard Mr Morgan had been seen to be drug-affected the previous night and woke up in a state of panic after being moved to a friend's bedroom without his belongings. He allegedly grabbed an axe because he did not know what he would be walking into, the jury was told. CCTV footage allegedly showed Mr Morgan and his partner walking along the street, yelling abuse and swinging the axe at letterboxes. Ash Morgan (pictured) was struck and killed by a scooter allegedly brandished by Kane Flanders The violent episode unfolded in April  2024 in Raymond Terrace, north of Sydney 'Hurry up bro, get me that little machete,' Flanders allegedly said to his brother after coming out from his home, Mr Queenan said. 'This c*** is going to get chopped.' His brother Andrew Cameron allegedly went to grab a metal scooter sitting on their verandah and brought it back to Flanders, the court was told. Mr Morgan fell to the ground after being hit with the scooter and his head was then allegedly stomped on, Mr Queenan told the jury. Police and paramedics arrived to find Mr Morgan lying in the street, but he could not be revived. Flanders allegedly told police he had been clobbered by the axe, the jurors heard. 'I hit him, he's literally attacking me with an axe,' he allegedly told an officer at the scene. An autopsy found Mr Morgan died of blunt force head injuries and detected cannabinoids and methamphetamine in his system, the court heard. Before the incident, CCTV footage allegedly showed Mr Morgan and his partner walking along the street, yelling abuse and swinging an axe at letterboxes Flanders has pleaded not guilty to murder, saying he acted in self-defence, Mr Queenan told the jury. If the Crown cannot prove beyond reasonable doubt that the 32-year-old did not act in self-defence, the jury can still find him guilty of manslaughter if they determine he acted excessively. Flanders' barrister Stuart Bouveng did not make an opening statement. The trial will continue before Justice Desmond Fagan on Tuesday. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.