Manslaughter trial told punch was 'defensive'

A football fan has told a jury he threw a "defensive, left, one-punch shot" during a night out in which a man was killed.

Lewis MacLeod, 36, travelled to London from the North East on 12 September for a Premier League match the following day between Sunderland and Crystal Palace.

MacLeod said he was "scared and terrified" when he threw the punch in the early hours of 13 September at Michael Edwards, 43, outside a convenience store on Borough High Street.

Edwards, from Warwickshire, died in hospital four days later. MacLeod, from Sunderland, denies manslaughter.

On Thursday, MacLeod told Inner London Crown Court he never meant to cause serious injury to Edwards, saying: "I'm absolutely devastated and always will be.

"I never wanted this to happen. I'm gutted."

MacLeod said he and a friend had just "walked away" from an incident outside Belushi's bar involving Edwards and his friend who were "getting angry" – but that they were followed by the two men.

MacLeod told the court he stepped into a shop because he thought it would be safer but that Edwards and his friend were telling them to "get outside now".

The 36-year-old added: "I was absolutely terrified and scared. Who would not be scared of the two men? They were definitely going for trouble."

He said he and his friend tried to calm down the situation but feared the two men were "not taking no for an answer".

He said he recalled his hand being touched twice like he was about to be pulled out of the shop.

He added that he felt he was "going to get seriously hurt by these two big men" and "just gave them a defensive, left, one-punch shot".

MacLeod then stood with his arms apart and outstretched in the witness box as he told the jury that this was how he was standing when he told the men to "leave it" and then delivered the blow.

Edwards fell backwards on to the street and hit his head, leaving blood on the pavement when he was moved, jurors heard earlier in the trial.

A fight then broke out between MacLeod and Edwards' friend, who moved into the shop and knocked items over inside.

"It all happened fast because his friend punched me straight away but I was trying to defend myself," MacLeod said.

"I fractured my eye socket and I was on the floor. I was hazy, dazed and hurt."

MacLeod's friend tried to separate the pair and at some point, MacLeod punched Edwards' friend as he was crouched down.

"I should not have. I accept I was in the wrong," MacLeod told the court.

He walked away from the shop without realising how badly Edwards had been hurt, the court heard.

MacLeod, who had used cocaine on the day in question, said his memory was not clear as he walked away from the fight but he knew he took some more cocaine, and was "shocked" when the police arrested him and said Edwards was seriously hurt.

He had started drinking at about 16:00 BST and felt "OK" after drinking eight pints at a pub near King's Cross.

He later moved to another pub in Elephant and Castle where he did not finish a vodka and Coke and took cocaine at both venues.

He also had two beers at Belushi's, the court heard.

Jurors have seen CCTV footage of Edwards vaping outside the bar when MacLeod and his friend were asked to leave.

Outside the venue, footage showed MacLeod trying to shake hands with Edwards and then trying repeatedly to touch his groin, gestures which Edwards physically batted away.

MacLeod and his friend then moved off, while Edwards and his friend gestured after the pair and went to speak to security.

MacLeod has previously admitted a charge of assault causing actual bodily harm against Edwards' friend, for punching him while he checked on Edwards, who was lying motionless on the ground.

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