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A man has been convicted of manslaughter after delivering a fatal punch to another individual following a confrontation outside a Leicestershire bar. The incident involved Nathan Gothard, who struck 66-year-old David Darke near The Crown Inn in Appleby Magna in the days just before Christmas last year. The force of the punch caused a fracture to Darke’s skull, leading to his death in hospital six days later.
During proceedings at Leicester Crown Court, it was revealed that Gothard had initially been involved in a fight and lost. Despite Darke assisting Gothard to his feet after this initial altercation on December 21, Gothard, in a fit of anger, turned on Darke with the fatal blow. Gothard denied murder and manslaughter charges but was ultimately found guilty of the lesser manslaughter charge. Following the verdict, the 37-year-old remained silent with his head lowered and was acquitted of murder. Sentencing is scheduled to take place at the same court on May 22.
The court heard from prosecutor Peter Joyce KC that the atmosphere inside The Crown Inn had become “menacing, threatening, argumentative and disputing” due to Gothard’s conduct. Earlier that evening, a group of people had arrived at the pub from a staff Christmas party at a nearby hotel. Gothard, who had been in the pub since late afternoon, began making unwanted advances and assertive remarks to female members of the group, asserting dominance over the venue. Attempts by the landlady and her partner to calm the situation resulted in Gothard being escorted outside, where he later became involved in a physical fight with another man, who had been irritated by Gothard’s provocations.
CCTV shown to the jury captured a man named Ty Fern knocking Gothard to the ground and kicking him outside the pub. Gothard testified that he was “dazed and confused” after the assault, claiming to feel threatened by Darke who, according to Gothard, grabbed him “violently” and made threatening remarks. Gothard said he struck Darke in what he described as a “pre-emptive strike” fearing another attack. Following the attack, Darke was taken to the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham, where he passed away on December 27. Darke’s family paid tribute to him as a beloved father, grandfather, brother, and friend, emphasizing his love for life, family, and nature. After the guilty verdict, Judge William Harbage KC warned Gothard to prepare for a substantial custodial sentence. Det Insp Kevin Hames of the East Midlands Special Operations Unit remarked on the tragic outcome, emphasizing that the incident—and Darke’s death—could have been prevented if Gothard had simply walked away
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