A Warilla father who died following an alleged single punch during a 2010 altercation, was said to have ‘‘gone down like a tree’’, making no attempt to stop himself from falling, Wollongong District Court has heard.Debbie Bebilacqua, partner of William Francis Thompson, told the court yesterday she saw Joel Mulholland strike her boyfriend in the jaw before he fell.Mulholland, 28, has pleaded not guilty to feloniously slaying the father of four during an altercation on Shellharbour Rd on September 10, 2010.Giving evidence at the Mt Warrigal man’s trial yesterday, Ms Bebilacqua said she heard the words ‘‘shoulder barge’’ uttered shortly before she saw her partner push Mulholland in the chest.The court heard Mr Thompson stumbled but quickly regained his footing before Mulholland allegedly punched the man in the jaw, causing him to fall to the ground.Ms Bebilacqua said she and Mr Thompson had been at Warilla Sports Club and had left about 10.30pm, arguing as they headed to a nearby kebab shop.She told the court she heard someone say ‘‘shoulder barge’’ and then saw Mr Thompson push Mulholland before the accused allegedly punched her partner.‘‘He didn’t even try and stop himself, he just fell straight to the ground ... I tried to shake him and speak to him,’’ she said.Ambulance officers tried to treat Mr Thompson at the scene but he died a short time later.Ms Bebilacqua denied her partner had kicked Mulholland or that the pair had issued air swings at each other. She also denied Mr Thompson had stumbled backwards after he was punched, stating he went down ‘‘like a tree’’.Mulholland’s partner Angela Hartfield also gave evidence, saying she saw Mulholland and another man standing on Shellharbour Rd.She said she saw the other man throw a punch first, which missed, before she grabbed Mulholland as he punched the other man.Witness Krysten Purnell said she saw Mulholland jump backwards and his arm throw a punch, the court heard.She said she asked Mulholland what happened and he replied: ‘‘[the man] shoulder-barged me and I hit him ... I got him in the jaw.’’A DVD played to the court showed Mulholland telling police the couple had walked past him arguing and he asked the woman if she was okay.He said the man ‘‘eyeballed’’ him before shoulder barging him and the men then pushed each other. He told officers the man kicked him in the leg and the pair swung some air punches before Mulholland threw a final punch, which hit the man’s jaw.He said he noticed the man stumble backwards but didn’t see him hit the ground.Judge Paul Conlon said Mr Thompson had suffered a head fracture and heart attack, but noted the issue in the trial was self-defence.The case is expected to conclude today.