A 66-year-old grandfather died after a brutal punch outside a pub from a man he had just helped to his feet following a brawl, a court has heard.
Details of the Fatal Incident
Nathan Gothard, 37, allegedly struck David Darke outside the Crown Inn in Appleby Magna, Leicestershire, on December 21 last year. Darke hit his head on the ground and succumbed to his injuries days later in hospital.
The atmosphere inside the pub turned tense that evening due to Gothard’s disruptive behavior. A group arriving from a staff Christmas party at a nearby hotel encountered his aggressive advances toward female members, marking the venue as his territory.
Escalation Outside the Pub
The landlady and her partner escorted Gothard out to de-escalate the situation. Rather than leave, he reportedly sought out the group for further confrontation.
Prosecutor Peter Joyce KC told Leicester Crown Court jurors that Gothard engaged in a fight with a man he had provoked earlier inside. Gothard lost, falling to the ground and sustaining facial injuries from kicks.
David Darke then assisted by pulling Gothard back to his feet. In response, Gothard allegedly punched Darke with lethal force to “save face” after his defeat.
David Darke, the man soon to be killed, in fact picked him up and helped pull him to his feet. The defendant, in his rage, after losing the fight he had picked, attacked Mr Darke to save his own face. He hit him so hard that he killed him.
Mr Joyce emphasized that such an act demonstrates intent to cause serious harm, amounting to murder. Darke, at 66, suffered a fatal head injury from the fall.
Defendant’s Account and Charges
When questioned by police, Gothard claimed an “elderly male kept saying he was going to kill me and bury me.” Prosecutors countered that he sought the fight, lost it, and lashed out at Darke.
Gothard denies murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter. The trial continues at Leicester Crown Court.
