THE parents of a man who died after being brutally bashed at his Kewarra Beach home two years ago tearfully paid tribute to the "adventurous loner" after his killer pleaded guilty to manslaughter yesterday.

Joshua William Hickson, 30, admitted his guilt in relation to the death of 44-year-old Gregory Elms just hours before a jury was to begin deliberating his fate on day three of a Cairns Supreme Court trial.

He will be sentenced on Monday with co-accused Brandon Lee Gobus, 38, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter last week.

Over the course of the trial it was revealed Mr Elms' behaviour was "less than chivalrous" in distributing nude photos of his former girlfriend, Mr Hickson's sister, but outside court his family talked of a man known for his love of bikes and sense of adventure.

"Greg was a very adventurous sort of guy, a bit of a loner," his father, John Elms, said.

For more on this story, grab Friday's The Cairns Post.

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