Karl Swift death: Man 'killed workmate with single punch' in Halesowen town centre
A man killed his colleague with a single punch in a Black Country town centre following a row over football, a court heard.
Dean Hartley is accused of unleashing a vicious uppercut on Karl Swift, who was hit with such force he was knocked unconscious before hitting his head on the ground.
Hartley then lied to police, claiming he found the victim in a heap on the floor and that he must have fallen over, a judge was told.
The pair were among a group of six work colleagues who had been drinking at a Wetherspoons pub in Halesowen on September 8 last year.
Wolverhampton Crown Court heard how Hartley and Mr Swift had been arguing in the pub about football, almost coming to blows.
Hartley later told police he had been irritated by Mr Swift, aged 33.
The group, which had travelled down to the Black Country from Yorkshire for work, was thrown out of the William Shenstone pub on Queensway after Hartley's uncle struck Mr Swift with the back of his hand, said Mr Phillip Bradley, prosecuting.
Mr Swift had left on his own a few minutes earlier and began making his way back to the Travelodge they were all staying at when the rest of the group, headed by Hartley, caught up with him on New Road, Mr Bradley said.
He told the court: "In an unprovoked attack, he punched Karl Swift with so much force as to break his jaw.
"That punch took Mr Swift to the floor where he struck his head against the pavement and fractured his skull."
Mr Swift died in hospital two days later.
The group told paramedics they had found Mr Swift lying on the pavement and Hartley kept up the story during his initial police interviews, the court heard.
But when experts found Mr Swift, who lived in Rotheram, had suffered a broken jaw, Hartley admitted he had thrown a punch but claimed he did so in self-defence.
Mr Bradley said: "This defendant's belated claim of self-defence is untruthful.
"The prosecution's case is that far from acting in self-defence, he unlawfully assaulted Mr Swift and in doing so caused his death."
Hartley, aged 30, of Burnaby Crescent, Sheffield, denies manslaughter.
The trial continues.
