Kerry Kourpanidis, 35, appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court by phone from the Alexander Maconochie Centre on Friday and entered the plea through his lawyer, Gavin Mansfield.

Mr Kourpanidis, of Griffith in the ACT, was charged with the murder of Warren Craig Hordpenko five days after the 44-year-old Dalmeny man's death on July 5.

Police documents previously tendered to the court say Mr Kourpanidis went to the Kingston Hotel for dinner with his partner, six-year-old daughter and another family member.

At some stage during the evening of July 5, he is said to have crossed paths with Mr Hordpenko, who was there alone, before leaving just after 8pm to put his daughter to bed.

Mr Kourpanidis allegedly returned to the south Canberra pub in a rage shortly before 9pm that night.

Police allege that CCTV shows the tradesman entering the venue and then running back out again 46 seconds later.

During those 46 seconds, Mr Kourpanidis allegedly charged at Mr Hordpenko in the poolroom and said: "You f---ed with my daughter, c---".

He allegedly tackled Mr Hordpenko off a stool, punched him up to 13 times and left him on the floor to die.

The police documents say Mr Kourpanidis landed six or seven punches to the head of Mr Hordpenko, who did not fight back, and another five or six blows to the ribs.

Mr Hordpenko was losing consciousness after the first one or two punches connected, according to police.

The poolroom is not covered by CCTV, but police say in the documents that two other men witnessed what happened before quickly leaving out of fear that they might be attacked if they were thought to be Mr Hordpenko's friends.

Mr Kourpanidis rang his former partner minutes after the incident, according to police, who allege that he told the woman a drunk man had acted inappropriately at the pub and made their daughter feel uncomfortable on several occasions.

He allegedly told his former partner during the phone call that he had gone home and put the girl to bed, then returned to the Kingston Hotel and bashed the drunk man.

The police documents reveal that Mr Hordpenko was cut off from drinking less than half an hour before the alleged bashing, after staff had received complaints about his behaviour and noticed that he was slurring his speech.

The documents detail a number of incidents involving Mr Hordpenko, who was "noticeably intoxicated and annoying other patrons in the hotel".

He is said to have taken the triangle from a pool table into a bathroom and held it between the legs of a man who was trying to use a urinal. He was seen at other stages with the pool triangle on his head.

Mr Hordpenko also pinched and grabbed at other patrons, and told them he had been drinking all day.

Police investigating Mr Hordpenko's death began surveilling Mr Kourpanidis before arresting the tradesman on July 9.

The 35-year-old declined to answer officers' questions upon his arrest and was charged with murder early the next morning.

Mr Kourpanidis failed later on July 10 in a bid to be released on bail, and has not made another bail application since.

Following Mr Kourpanidis' not guilty plea on Friday, Magistrate Glenn Theakston adjourned the matter for six weeks.

The case is due to return to court on September 4.