Frank Warren, landlord of the Robin Hood pub in St Helier, was giving evidence to yesterday’s inquest determining the details around the death last year of Melvin Murphy.
Mr Murphy was confronted on his way home by another pub regular, Brian McMahon. They had been arguing earlier inside the pub and just outside it and although the row seemed to have been defused McMahon followed Mr Murphy towards Springfield Stadium and punched him in the car park. The way Mr Murphy fell caused his death.
The pair had been among customers enjoying a karaoke night at the pub on 21 September last year and Mr Warren said: ‘The customers are all regulars and we’ve never had any problems.
‘The police have only been called once in the 18 years I’ve been here.’
The men seemed to have been arguing inside the pub, and though witnesses couldn’t make out the nature of the quarrel above the music, McMahon was heard to tell Mr Murphy: ‘That’s the second time you’ve said that to me.’
The pair then went into the pub courtyard and Mr Warren told them, ‘Pack it in’.
He explained: ‘I wasn’t expecting any problem, because there never is one.’
Mr Murphy turned to go home and McMahon returned to the pub but left soon after. Neither men appeared drunk, Mr Warren added.
A passer-by found Mr Murphy lying in the car park unconscious but still breathing. He put him in the recovery position and phoned for an ambulance. Paramedics treated him on the way to the Hospital and he was taken to the intensive-care unit but did not regain consciousness and suffered heart failure.
Consultant anaesthetist Dr Alun Roberts pronounced him dead at 3.55pm the following afternoon.
Police coroner’s officer Glenn Cleave told the inquest that when arrested and interviewed McMahon had answered all questions with ‘no comment’.
But in court he admitted manslaughter and was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment.
Home Office forensic pathologist Dr Russell Delaney carried out a post-mortem examination. He said that although the alcohol level in Mr Murphy’s system was around three time the legal limit for driving, he added: ‘Drink made no direct contribution to his death.’
He also said that the blow to the back of his head, caused when he fell, was what led to his death, rather than the initial punch.
Coroner advocate Mark Harris concluded that Mr Murphy had died from head injuries and expressed his sympathies to his family and friends.
