Man in court charged with manslaughter over punch death

A man previously charged with attacking a pensioner appeared in court on Tuesday charged with his manslaughter.

Marcus Fleming, 21, appeared by videolink at Antrim Magistrates' Court, as a prosecuting lawyer confirmed that 74-year-old Tony Miskimmon had died and “a manslaughter charge is to be laid against the defendant".

Mr Fleming, who has an address at Cedarmount in Antrim, confirmed that he understood the charge.

A police officer testified that she believed she could connect him to the offence and the defence barrister confirmed he was not taking any issue with that.

Earlier this month, Mr Fleming was charged with causing grievous bodily harm on 2 November and causing criminal damage.

He was further charged with attempted criminal damage to a police cell and vehicle on the same date.

A police officer told the court that at 19:32 GMT on 2 November an ambulance crew alerted police that a man had been assaulted and was unconscious and bleeding heavily outside Antrim Primary School.

A female witness said she had seen a man punching the pensioner in the face, causing him to fall.

When police spoke to the defendant at the front door of a property “blood was coming from his nose”, the court heard.

The police officer said that during Mr Fleming's arrest he been irate and “in an agitated state” as he was “kicking and head butting the cell doors".

Despite warnings, Mr Fleming allegedly spat and urinated inside the cell van and during police interviews.

Mr Fleming admitted punching the pensioner but claimed he acted in self-defence after being struck.

Mr Fleming maintained that he had been hit first “so he had hit him back” but the court also heard that Mr Fleming had been remorseful and “upset by the level of injury” sustained by the 74-year-old.

Mr Miskimmon died four days after the assault.

District Judge Nigel Broderick said the charge alleging manslaughter “is a significant development".

The prosecution asked for the case to be adjourned for a month “for an update on the full file".

Mr Fleming was remanded in custody to appear again on Christmas Eve.