Queensland man reeling over neighbour's one-punch death

A Brisbane shiftworker is grief stricken after allegedly killing his neighbour with a single punch during a dispute over noise, a court has been told.

Phillip Pama, 28, was granted bail in the Brisbane Magistrates Court today after he was charged with the manslaughter of his 55-year-old neighbour.

Police found the man unconscious, with head injuries, in the front yard of a Boondall property last night. He could not be revived.

Defence lawyer Bruce Peters said Mr Pama, a father of three, was distraught and stricken by grief after felling his neighbour with a single punch during an argument.

Mr Peters said the neighbour, known as Leon, often became drunk in the evenings, played loud music, and yelled "profanities at the world" from his yard.

Mr Pama had gone outside to confront him over the noise when the argument began, Mr Peters said.

Mr Pama, a warehouseman from Samoa, allegedly threw the punch after he grabbed Leon by the hand and Leon pushed him in the chest.

"He was being pushed at the same time he was throwing the punch," Mr Peters told the court during the bail application.

"He didn't see it connect but he felt it connect."

Leon allegedly fell to the ground and was still breathing.

The frightened Mr Pama tried unsuccessfully to wake his neighbour before running into his house to tell his wife and father, Mr Peters said. They flagged down a passing police car.

Mr Peters said Mr Pama has no history of violence.

"It's an absolute tragedy, it's an absolute nightmare," he said.

John Fisher has told the ABC his mate Leon had a history of run-ins with neighbours but also did a lot of good things and "always turned the music down after hours".

"There's police to solve matters if there's a problem," he added.

Magistrate Michael Quinn said while it was a serious charge, bail should be granted in the circumstances.

He imposed a curfew and ordered Mr Pama to surrender his passport and report twice weekly to police.

"It graphically illustrates that warning that's been given so often, that one punch can kill," the magistrate said.

The case was adjourned until May 18.