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Two-time Olympic basketballer Danny Morseu is standing trial for allegedly punching a woman in the head repeatedly and depriving her of liberty.
The 66-year-old has pleaded not guilty to one count each of common assault, assault occasioning bodily harm, and deprivation of liberty.
The alleged offence happened during 2022 in a Far North Queensland community. Further details have been withheld for legal reasons.
Cairns District Court heard on Monday the NBL Hall of Fame member and 1980 and 1984 Australian Olympic basketballer physically assaulted a woman and refused to let her leave a house.
Crown prosecutor Tim Watkins told the court Mr Morseu and the woman drank together at three bars over the course of an evening.
The court heard Mr Morseu punched the woman in the arm three times at one bar, and they were involved in an altercation with a third party and an ensuing scuffle at another bar.
On returning to a house, the woman tried to leave and Mr Morseu blocked the doorway on two occasions.
The court heard she gave Mr Morseu a "significant push" and he fell over.
"He stood over her and he punched her in the head and face multiple times," Mr Watkins said.
"He kept punching her multiple times for what she thought was 45 seconds.
"She felt as though she blacked out."
The court heard the woman had lacerations to her eyebrows, which later required stitches.
Mr Watkins said the woman was calling for help through windows until Police Sergeant John Flanagan arrived 10 minutes later at about 1:20am and noted blood coming from her face.
"[Mr Morseu] said that in fact it was the complainant who had been assaulting him, punching him in the chest and slapping him in the face," Mr Watkins told the court.
Sergeant Flanagan's report stated that Mr Morseu confirmed he would not let her leave because he feared for her safety.
"He told Sergeant Flanagan that he had no idea how she was injured [and] that she went into the bathroom and came back bleeding," Mr Watkins told the court.
"He denied ever hitting her and said he would never do that."
Mr Watkins said Sergeant Flanagan found only a "small drop of blood" in the lounge room.
The trial in front of Judge Dean Morzone KC is expected to continue for two or three days and will hear from police and doctors.
Mr Morseu has previously been released on bail.