JEALOUS lover clubbed a man to death and injured his ex-partner while they were sleeping, a Brisbane court has been told.

Faimanifo Sione, 51, is charged with the murder of Brian Curry, 48, on September 3, 2009, and the attempted murder of Michelle Hayes, now 38, or the alternative charge of acting with malicious intent.

Sione pleaded not guilty in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Wednesday.

Mr Curry was attacked while he was asleep in bed with Ms Hayes, who had ended a three-year relationship with Sione in April 2009.

Crown prosecutor David Meredith told the jury Sione had waved a machete in front of Ms Hayes several days before and asked if she was sleeping with Mr Curry.

She would not confirm the relationship, the court was told.

The jury heard Sione had threatened "to sort out Brian".

Ms Hayes and Mr Curry had started a relationship after meeting through their school-aged children.

Sione broke into Ms Hayes' Inala house and bashed Mr Curry with a pipe or pole, the trial heard.

He broke Ms Hayes' arm and cut her forehead.

The court was told Mr Curry died from the consequences of "blunt trauma".

Mr Curry's two sons and Ms Hayes' two daughters, all aged under 12, were in the house and woken by screams.

The children entered the adults' bedroom during the attack and then hid in a second bedroom.

Mr Meredith said Sione sent Ms Hayes a series of threatening and abusive text messages before and after the bashing.

The jury was shown transcripts of the text messages.

One read: "U R dead."