The mother of a Brisbane man accused of bashing a Korean student to death said her son told her he was not feeling normal and had a ball "rolling around in his head", the Supreme Court has heard.
Alex Reuben McEwan is on trial for Eunji Ban's 2013 murder, with the court hearing today that Ms Ban's facial injuries were so bad she was likely to have drowned in her own blood.
McEwan, now 23, has admitted to killing Ms Ban but denies it was murder, indicating his defence would argue insanity.
Mother Ruth McEwan broke down in tears while remembering a conversation she had with her son one night.
"He said 'I'm not normal, I don't feel right. I can't see properly. I can't see left from right.'," she said.
" ... that he had a sphere or a ball rolling around and around in his head and he couldn't make it stop.
"It doesn't have any flat sides to stop ... so it just keeps rattling over and over."
'We thought we were caring parents'
Ms McEwan told the court she believed she was a caring parent.
Geoffrey McEwan testified that his son struggled with routine, was unreliable and had trouble sleeping.
"I did my best to show that I was a caring parent but in hindsight ... you question yourself in situations like this," he said.
"I look back and say what were my failings as a parent?
"I've always been dismissive of behaviours or thinking the best of people.
"I could say I failed ... I have had four years to think about everything that has transpired."
'Drowning in her own blood'
Doctor Alex Olumbe examined Eunji Ban's body, which was found in Brisbane's Wickham Park.
He told the court the 22-year-old's cause of death was from severe facial injuries.
"[She was] ... drowning in her own blood," he said.
"The source of bleeding was predominantly from the face.
"There was a tooth that was found on one of the footsteps."
Doctor Olumbe said a pattern consistent with a shoe print was also found on the student's face.
McEwan's defence barrister is expected to run a defence of insanity.
The trial continues.
