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Man accused of Tipton murder 'too drunk to remember park attack'

An alleged murderer accused of beating up a man who later died in hospital was intoxicated and remembered little about what happened, a court heard.

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Anthony Bird

Anthony Bird died in hospital after the "ferocious attack" which happened in Victoria Park, in Victoria Road, Tipton, on July 26 last year.

Defendants Steven Bennett and Suni Singh Gill allegedly kicked and punched the 50-year-old after accusing him of being a "paedophile", an unsubstantiated claim.

In his opening statement Mr Giles Cockings QC, defending Gill, said he accepted that he was at the scene but said that he had "certain mental challenges" .

"However, he says that he remembers little of the events," Mr Cockings said.

"He is also dependent on alcohol and was intoxicated on the day and time in question. Words were said which the defence say triggered an abnormality causing him to react. In layman's terms he did not know what he was doing."

He also told the jury that Mr Bird suffered a fall in hospital before he died.

"Prior to that fall we also hear there were signs of his improvement, however, subsequent to that fall his health deteriorated and his life was pronounced extinct some 17 days afterwards," Mr Cockings told Wolverhampton Crown Court on Thursday.

In his opening statement Mr Jo Sidhu, defending Bennett, said that his client accepted that he was in the park at the time of the incident, in the company of a woman who complained that Mr Bird, a stranger to them, was taking photos of their children.

"An argument took place," Mr Sidhu said.

"Mr Bennett was concerned and asked him what he was doing. The deceased attacked Mr Bennett by head butting him to the chin. In response Mr Bennett punched him once.

The case is being heard at Wolverhampton Crown Court

"The deceased reacted by spitting at him and walked off.

"Nearby was Mr Gill. As the deceased walked off having spat at Mr Bennett and shouting a racial slur at Mr Gill, Mr Gill reacted by following the deceased.

"A fight broke out between those two men. The deceased fell to the ground."

Mr Sidhu said Bennett recounted that Gill continued to attack Mr Bird.

Giving evidence for the prosecution, witness Helen Shuttleworth, of Coseley, said Gill was the first to attack Mr Bird followed seconds later by Bennett.

"It wasn't just a few kicks. It was far too long for me. It wasn't a split second, it carried on. It was continuous," Mrs Shuttleworth said.

She also said that "a blonde woman" who was present at the scene near the war memorial stated to her that Mr Bird was "a paedophile".

The 50-year-old died due to blunt force head impact with a background of serious pre-existing liver disease which impaired his blood clotting.

Bennett, 38, of Bevan Road, and Gill, 33, of Shore Road, both Tipton, deny killing Mr Bird and deny causing him grievous bodily harm with intent.

The trial continues.

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