Pub manslaughter accused only pushed dad 'gently'
Family handoutA man accused of killing the man he had just found out was his father in a pub beer garden has told jurors he only pushed him "gently".
Steven Shevels, 61, died after hitting his head when he fell behind the Queen's Head in Willington, County Durham, on Christmas Eve, Teesside Crown Court has heard.
Martin Greensmith, 37, who shortly before the encounter had been told the victim was his biological father, denies manslaughter.
He told jurors he had not wanted to fight Shevels, who he found to be "intimidating and scary", and was "devastated" by what happened.
The jury heard the defendant's family had gone to the pub on the afternoon of 24 December with Greensmith first noticing Shevels, who had also been drinking, when he heard his voice at the bar.
He told jurors he knew a man called Steven Shevels was his biological father but did not actually know who that was until his mother told him in the pub that day.
When asked by his barrister Paul Rooney how he felt about learning Shevels was his father, Greensmith said he did "not really care" and the man was a "stranger".
"He was never present in my life," Greensmith said, adding: "In 36 years he's never made an attempt to do anything.
"I didn't want to know him."
The court heard Shevels, who was known in his hometown of Crook to be a nuisance when drunk, went and sat near Greensmith's family.
Greensmith said he was "uncomfortable" being close to Shevels, who he said was "just rambling on".
He was asked about a gesture he made, which prosecutors said was Greensmith telling Shevels to go outside for a fight.
Greensmith said Shevels had said "something like 'get outside if you want to fight'", and the defendant's gesture was to tell the victim to leave.
Greensmith said he went into the beer garden to "keep away" from Shevels, adding "I didn't want to fight the man, I just wanted to stay away".
'Thought he was OK'
About 10 minutes later Shevels, who had been asked to leave the pub because of his behaviour, went into the garden, the court heard.
Greensmith said he went to walk by Shevels to go back inside but the victim held out an arm to stop him and leaned in towards his face.
"I felt intimated and scared," Greensmith told jurors.
He said he reacted "instinctively" and "gently" pushed Shevels in the chest to "create some space between us", adding there was "barely no force at all".
Greensmith said he was "shocked" Shevels fell over and his "mind was all over the place", before he went inside to get a glass of water to try and revive the victim.
He said he and others tried to rouse Shevels, with the defendant crying and feeling "devastated and in total shock".
Greensmith said he left the pub after hearing someone say Shevels had a pulse, making him think the victim would "still be OK".
He only found out he died when his mother called him and told him early on Christmas morning, the court heard.
Jurors have heard he handed himself in to police at his home on Christmas Day after making searches online for a lawyer and about "involuntary manslaughter".
The court has also heard Shevels died from a blunt head injury.
'Foggy brain'
When asked if there was anything else he wanted to say to jurors, an emotional Greensmith said: "I'm very remorseful and apologise to the family of Steven, this has made my life hell."
In cross-examination, prosecutor Jolyon Perks pressed Greensmith on what he had said to Shevels before the push.
Greensmith said: "I said something along the lines of 'you're my dad, I don't want to know you'."
Perks asked why this was the first time Greensmith had admitted saying anything like that, to which the defendant replied his brain had been "really foggy since this happened".
The prosecutor asked if Greensmith was "angry" about who his father was as he appeared to be "somebody who was drunk and loud" and "probably didn't live up to [Greensmith's] expectations", and if the defendant "decided to take it out" on the victim.
Greensmith replied "no".
Perks also said Greensmith's chief concern seemed to have been for himself, with his "parting words" to the jury about how the incident had made the defendant's "life hell".
Greensmith replied: "I'm not saying it hasn't made anybody else's."
The trial continues.
