Manslaughter charge against football supporter who punched rival fan dropped
Millwall follower Andrew Lewis had already admitted his part in a fight outside Nottingham Forest’s City Ground.
A Millwall football supporter who was accused of killing a rival fan has had charges of manslaughter against him dropped.
Andrew Lewis had already admitted his part in a fight outside Nottingham Forest’s City Ground in which he punched 56-year-old Paul O’Donnell.
The 50-year-old previously pleaded guilty to the charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm on the Nottingham Forest fan before a Friday night fixture on August 4.
Mr O’Donnell was found in a critical condition two weeks later at his house in Newark, Nottinghamshire, and was pronounced dead in hospital.
Prosecutor Miranda Moore QC told Leicester Crown Court doctors could not definitively say the injuries caused by Lewis were directly responsible for Mr O’Donnell’s death.
As a result, she said no evidence would be offered on the manslaughter charge by the prosecution and Judge Gregory Dickinson QC said he would be directing a not guilty verdict.
The match was won by the hosts 1-0 and had been brought forward by a day to avoid clashing with cricket at neighbouring Trent Bridge.
Lewis, of Bromley, South London, will be sentenced for the offence of causing grievous bodily harm later on Wednesday.
