Deans Court Chambers counsel secure acquittals of four defendants in Metrolink manslaughter after a 4 week trial in Liverpool Crown Court.

Michael Hayton KC leading Virginia Hayton, Iain Simkin KC leading Jacob Dyer, Lewis Power KC leading Robin Kitching and Fiona Horlick KC leading Rosalind Emsley-Smith secured the acquittals of all four of the defendants tried for the manslaughter of a Metrolink passenger.

The deceased had consumed ‘Spice’ and had threatened and assaulted members of staff working on the Metrolink in Manchester City centre. The four defendants who were working on the Metrolink pursued the deceased into the Spinningfields area of Manchester where he was detained by them outside the Australasia bar. He was restrained for approximately 9 minutes before suffering a cardiac arrest and later dying.

The trial involved complex issues of the powers of arrest of citizens (and joint enterprise) and medical causation. The defendants all denied their actions were unlawful and questioned the role of Spice in the cardiac arrest.

After a lengthy trial involving expert evidence from 6 expert witnesses the jury acquitted three of the four and the prosecution declined to pursue a retrial in respect of the fourth defendant.

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Michael Hayton KC - https://lnkd.in/gDmwhXiN
Lewis Power KC - https://lnkd.in/ethAWXQx
Fiona Horlick KC - https://lnkd.in/emP5iU7J
Iain Simkin KC - https://lnkd.in/eqx9eGdt
Robin Kitching - https://lnkd.in/ecRd2duU
Jacob Dyer - https://lnkd.in/ecCJeNU4
Virginia Hayton - https://lnkd.in/euzFMRfJ
Ros Emsley-Smith - https://lnkd.in/ey9Dw8J9