The first witness took the stand today at the Matthew Spring second degree murder trial in Barrie.

Spring is charged in the death of Bradley Hubbard, who died at a Barrie mini-putt centre in 2011.

Today, a police identification officer who examined the scene told court about what he found after Hubbard’s death.

Detective Constable Terry Cuff described the layout of the mini-putt centre, and the damage found at the scene.

He said he found a broken putter shaft, the fractured-off club head, a black shirt and a black hat that read “support the vagabonds”, as well as dark red and brown stains on the floor of the course near the 13th hole… and in the lobby of the building.

The jury also heard statements of facts agreed upon by the Crown and the Defence.

They include: that Hubbard died as a result of a broken putter piercing his throat and cutting a main artery, that Matthew Spring was holding the putter when it pierced Hubbard’s throat, and that blood stains found under Hubbard’s fingernails matched the DNA of Matthew Spring’s older brother.

In its opening statement yesterday, the Crown told court that staff and patrons at the mini-golf course described the Spring group as drunk, loud and destructive on the night in question.

Court also heard that Hubbard’s daughter was startled by the Spring group, and that Hubbard’s wife confronted the trio.

The Crown when Hubbard got involved, the fight escalated, and that Hubbard was eventually hit with the putter.

Spring has pleaded not guilty to second degree murder.

The defence is expected to argue that Spring’s actions were in self-defence.