Man Denies Causing Neighbour's Death Following Loud Music Confrontation

A Perth man has pleaded not guilty in court after his neighbour died from a heart attack following a heated dispute about playing loud music. 

As ABC reports, Christopher Carkeek told the WA Supreme Court he was unaware his neighbour, Brian Burgess, had an enlarged heart after Burgess collapsed on the driveway of his home in May last year and later died.

The court heard the confrontation began around 7am on 31 May after Burgess complained to Carkeek about playing loud music at his home throughout the previous night. 

Prosecutor Amanda Burrows claims that Carkeek hit Burgess in the back of the head twice and that the "stressful situation" led to Burgess' heart attack.

"We say the accused man was the aggressor and that Mr Burgess was trying to get him off his property," Burrows said.

"The issue is...did the accused man's actions in confronting the deceased in this very aggressive manner, and in assaulting him, did that cause the death of Mr Burgess?"

Carkeek's lawyer, Judith Fordham, called the claims "foolish and scientifically wrong", suggesting that Burgess' heart condition meant his death could have occurred at any time.

'"We simply can't say the exact mechanism of his death...it's impossible to attribute a single trigger to the cause of his death," Fordham said.

Both the prosecution and defence plan to call separate cardiologists to testify during the trial which is expected to continue through to next week.