Jealous partner guilty of killing

A Staffordshire man convicted of killing a car worker in a "jealous outburst" could be jailed indefinitely for public protection.

Father-of-two Mark Harrison felled Bryan Hodgkiss, pictured, with a single punch for chatting to his common-law wife who had been on a girls' night out in Rugeley.

Mr Hodgkiss, who worked for Toyota at the Burnaston plant, hit his head on the pavement and died the next day.

Harrison, who has a record for violence going back years, claimed partner Beverley Ridgeway was being "harassed" by Mr Hodgkiss and he pushed the victim away.

But the jury at Stafford Crown Court yesterday found him guilty of manslaughter by a unanimous verdict following a week-long trial.

Harrison, aged 35, of Hollyoak Place, Rugeley, who denied the charge, was remanded in custody for reports by Mrs Justice Julia Macur.

She said the court would assess if Harrison was dangerous. If it was concluded he was, he would only be released when the parole board considered it safe.

The court heard that when he attacked Mr Hodgkiss on April 26 this year, Harrison was breaching a suspended jail sentence for offences of assault imposed in March.

The jury was told that when Harrison saw Mr Hodgkiss with his partner of 15 years outside the Shrew pub he marched over and punched him.

Mr Peter Grice, prosecuting, told the court that Miss Ridgeway was "drunk and flirtatious."

Harrison is expected to be sentenced at Worcester Crown Court next month.

Chief Inspector Mark Hurst, from Chase division, said after the hearing: "Our sympathies are very much with Bryan's family and friends. We hope that this verdict will help bring closure to their ordeal."