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A court in Teesside has found Martin Greensmith, 37, guilty of manslaughter after he pushed Steven Shevels, 61—his newly discovered biological father—who then died in a pub garden on Christmas Eve. The tragic incident took place behind The Queen’s Head in Willington, County Durham. Greensmith had only recently learned about his relationship to Shevels shortly before their fatal encounter on December 24th.
During the trial, Greensmith claimed that he gave Shevels only a “gentle” push after feeling intimidated by him. However, prosecutors argued that Greensmith’s actions, fueled by a moment of anger, directly caused Shevels’ death. The court also heard that Greensmith expressed remorse and wished to apologize to the victim’s family. Sentencing is scheduled for October 21st, with Judge Jonathan Carroll deciding to keep Greensmith in custody until then due to the severity of the likely sentence.
Testimony revealed that both families had gathered at The Queen’s Head on the afternoon of Christmas Eve, where Shevels was also drinking. Although Greensmith knew of Shevels as his father, his mother officially identified Shevels only during the visit to the pub. Shevels, reportedly regarded locally as troublesome when intoxicated, irritated the Greensmith family by sitting close and attempting to engage with them. Greensmith explained that he stepped outside to avoid confrontation, but Shevels followed after being asked to leave. The two men exchanged brief words, ending with Greensmith telling Shevels, “something along the lines of ‘you’re my dad, I don’t want to know you.’”
Greensmith recounted how Shevels stepped closer, leading him to “gently” push him away. He was shocked when Shevels fell and was one of several people who tried to assist him as he lay unconscious. Despite efforts from pub-goers, including Greensmith’s mother, and paramedics, Shevels was declared dead roughly an hour later. A pathologist concluded that a blunt force trauma to the head, resulting in a concussion, was the cause of death, compounded by alcohol that reduced Shevels’ ability to breathe properly. After leaving the scene, Greensmith turned himself in to police the following day, having previously searched online for legal advice related to “involuntary manslaughter.” Detective Chief Inspector Alfie Keane described the case as devastating, highlighting how a single moment can have irreversible effects on all involved
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