Three men in court charged over Gold Coast murder

Three men charged with murdering a Brisbane teen who plunged to his death from a Surfers Paradise balcony will remain behind bars after having their cases briefly mentioned in court.

Cian English, 19, died in the early hours of Saturday morning after falling from a balcony at a View Avenue apartment.

Police will allege that he was attempting to escape a violent robbery where three men were attempting to steal clothes and mobile phones.

Footage of the teen and another male allegedly being assaulted was posted on social media and sent to myGC, with a subsequent video showing the moments after the fall.

“What we will be alleging is there has been two groups of people staying at that accommodation, they have had some interaction and they have gone from room to room and had a party where some illicit drugs have been taken,” Detective Superintendent Brendan Smith told reporters on Sunday.

“During the course of the evening the three main offenders have robbed the victim and his friend at knife-point and during the course of that the victim has attempted to escape and gone over the balcony and died.

“Given the circumstances, the consequences of the robbery and the threats made to the victim put the consequences on those three offenders.”

Jason Ryan Knowles, 22, and Hayden Paul Kratzman, 20, had their cases mentioned in Brisbane Magistrates Court this morning.

Neither appeared in person with both remanded in custody to front Southport Magistrates Court on August 4.

Lachlan Paul Soper-Lagas, 18, had his matter mentioned in Beenleigh Magistrates Court with his case adjourned until tomorrow.

All three are charged with murder and two counts of armed robbery.