Drinker 'pursued' after first walking away from scuffle

Billy Dawson. Photo / Supplied

A man who was fatally injured outside an Auckland bar walked away from a stoush with a group - but one of them then went after him when he said something as he left, a family member says.

Sky TV worker Billy Dawson was at Spy Bar at the Viaduct Harbour early on Friday when he chanced upon the group.

"It's totally random. He obviously ran into the wrong guy at the wrong time - there's always [a] danger when you've been drinking a bit and feeling a bit ... He was definitely happy when he had a few drinks but no aggression," brother-in-law Coen Lammers said yesterday.

The family had heard that the initial scuffle started when the 34-year-old was leaving the bar.

"He was quite happy walking out of the pub and there was a bit of push and shove but it appeared he'd walked away ... Something might have been said, we're not sure, and one person came after him and hit him."

Mr Dawson fell to the ground and died hours later in hospital from severe head injuries. Police have charged three men with assault but say more serious charges could be laid.

Mr Lammers said: "He was a gentle giant. One of his friends said he could act like a kid at times and be a bit cheeky, so maybe he felt a bit too safe in his big body."

One of the accused will face a bail hearing tomorrow while the other two are on bail until later this month. One of the arrested men, Antoni Te Moko Rogers, has "security guard" listed as his occupation on court documents.

Mr Lammers said the family were not focused on who was arrested. Mr Dawson's parents, Hector and Lee, were coping as best as they could. "They're very, very brave."

Billy Dawson's organs had been donated, which gave the family some comfort. "It really gave us a sort of silver lining ... three or four families who have [a] new lease of life. It's a cliche, but a part of him lives on," Mr Lammers said.

Mr Dawson's funeral will be in Christchurch on Friday.