WA bash victim 'had existing brain injury'

A Perth man who died after allegedly being bashed had a previous brain injury, a court has heard.

Damien Noel Ruppell, 31, was allegedly assaulted by Peter Geoffrey Thompson at a house on Harmony Ave in Clarkson, late on the night of December 7, 2013.

Thompson was initially charged with grievous bodily harm, but that was upgraded to murder after Mr Ruppell died in hospital.

Police alleged at the time that the men had been drinking and a verbal altercation escalated between the pair.

Thompson formally pleaded not guilty in the Supreme Court of Western Australia on Thursday and is scheduled to stand trial in August.

The court heard the cause of Mr Ruppell's death was a significant issue because he had two brain haemorrhages from different dates.

Thompson is currently on bail.