Football Fan's Punch Leads to Fatality

0:00On April 16, a 36-year-old football fan from Sunderland told a jury he threw a single defensive punch that accidentally led to a man's death. During a night out in London, Lewis McLeod traveled from the northeast on 12 September for a premiere league match the next day between Sunderland and Crystal Palace. In the early hours of 13 September, outsider convenience store on Burrow High Street, he punched 43-year-old Michael Edwards from Workshier after feeling threatened. McLeod said he and a friend had walked away from a tense run in outside Belushi's bar, but Edwards and his friend followed them, demanding they come. Back out. He described being terrified of the two larger men who seems set on trouble, despite his attempts to calm things down. Edwards fell backward, hit his head on the street, and died in hospital four days later. McLeod then fought Edwards' friend, fracturing his own eye socket and later admitted punching the friend again while he checked on Edwards. McLeod denies manslaughter, insisting he never meant serious harm and feels devastating.

1:04He admitted using cocaine and drinking that night, with CCTV showing odd gestures before the clash as the trial continues at Interlunding Crown. Court