Man cleared of manslaughter charge

5:18pm Tuesday 8th July 2008

A 45-year-old man has been cleared of manslaughter by a Bradford Crown Court jury.

Keith Margison was unanimously found not guilty of killing Barry Hindle with a single punch to the head.

Mr Hindle, 48, who had drunk eight bottles of lager, fell backwards in the street striking his head on the ground.

Mr Margison, of Blackshaw Drive, Buttershaw, said he acted in self defence after Mr Hindle was aggressive towards him.

The jury heard that a late-night confrontation flared outside Mr Margison’s home when Mr Hindle accused two youths of insulting a teenage girl.

The court heard Mr Hindle, of Collingham Avenue, Buttershaw, was walking home with his family shortly after midnight on Sunday, October 7, after spending the evening at a friend’s house in Reevy Road West.

He had drunk up to eight bottles of lager, the jury was told.

Mr Hindle challenged the youths in Blackshaw Drive after they shouted abuse at the teenage girl. Mr Margison came out of his house in his socks and told Mr Hindle to “walk on”, the court heard.

The two men argued and Mr Margison was accused of knocking Mr Hindle down so he struck his head on the road.

Mr Hindle was admitted to Bradford Royal Infirmary’s intensive care unit before being transferred to Leeds General Infirmary. He died on October 11 from a head injury.

Mr Margison had told the jury Mr Hindle hit him twice and he struck him back once in self-defence.

Editor's choice