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Man cleared over OAP punch death | |
(about 6 hours later) | |
A man accused of killing a grandfather with one punch has been cleared of manslaughter at Cardiff Crown Court. | |
Osman Alayas, 19, knocked Leonard Baldwin to the ground, causing him to fracture his skull on the pavement, but claimed he acted in self-defence. | Osman Alayas, 19, knocked Leonard Baldwin to the ground, causing him to fracture his skull on the pavement, but claimed he acted in self-defence. |
He said a drunken Mr Baldwin, 76, tried to hit him and headbutted him after he refused to lend him his mobile phone. | |
Mr Alayas, of Riverside, Cardiff, had denied manslaughter. | |
The jury had heard Mr Alayas told officers: "He was drunk and staggering. He came up to me and asked to borrow my mobile phone so he could call a taxi. | |
"I told him no, and said I was busy. Two minutes later he came back to where I was fixing the stereo in my car." | "I told him no, and said I was busy. Two minutes later he came back to where I was fixing the stereo in my car." |
Mr Alayas added: "He grabbed me, headbutted me and took a swing at me. He connected with my head." | Mr Alayas added: "He grabbed me, headbutted me and took a swing at me. He connected with my head." |
The court heard that Mr Alyas was working on his car with his young nephew in Cardiff's Neville Street in September 2006 when he was approached by Mr Baldwin, a great-grandfather. | The court heard that Mr Alyas was working on his car with his young nephew in Cardiff's Neville Street in September 2006 when he was approached by Mr Baldwin, a great-grandfather. |
Mr Alyas said he acted in self defence | |
He added: "It came out of nowhere. I thought 'this guy's just punched me and he's getting ready to do it again.' | |
"He had caught me off my guard. My thoughts were to get him away from me and my nephew. | "He had caught me off my guard. My thoughts were to get him away from me and my nephew. |
"I hit him once to get him away. I did not do it to kill him or even to hurt him. | "I hit him once to get him away. I did not do it to kill him or even to hurt him. |
"I was just looking out for myself and my nephew." | "I was just looking out for myself and my nephew." |
Mr Baldwin, a father to seven children, died from his injuries in hospital the following day. | |
Prosecutor Marian Lewis told the jury how Mr Alyas attacked Mr Baldwin as he walked home from the pub after Mr Baldwin bumped into him. | Prosecutor Marian Lewis told the jury how Mr Alyas attacked Mr Baldwin as he walked home from the pub after Mr Baldwin bumped into him. |
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