Football fan accused of killing Warwickshire man tells court he threw ‘one-punch shot’ in defence

A football fan accused of killing a man from Warwickshire on a night out has told a jury he threw a “defensive, left one-punch shot”. Lewis MacLeod, 36, threw the punch at Michael Edwards, 43, outside a convenience store on Borough High Street, south-east London in the early hours of September 13 last year after a day drinking eight pints, spirits and taking cocaine. Mr Edwards died in hospital four days later after falling backwards on to the street and hitting his head. MacLeod, who is charged with manslaughter, told a court he had no idea how seriously injured he was and was devastated. Read more DHL workers at JLR Solihull to strike indefinitely over pay from May MacLeod had travelled to London from the North East the day before for a Premier League match between Sunderland and Crystal Palace. He told the Inner London Crown Court he was “scared and terrified” when he threw the punch and had never meant to cause serious injury to Mr Edwards. He said: “I’m absolutely devastated and always will be. I never wanted this to happen. I’m gutted.” MacLeod claimed he and his friend David Jackson had just “walked away” from an incident outside Belushi’s bar involving Mr Edwards and his friend James Roberts who were “getting angry” – but they were followed by the two men. Ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as your Preferred Source in your Google search settings. Jurors have seen CCTV footage of Mr Edwards and Roberts vaping outside Belushi’s when Mr Jackson and MacLeod were asked to leave the bar. Outside the venue, the footage showed MacLeod trying to shake hands with Mr Edwards, and then trying repeatedly to touch his groin, which Mr Edwards batted away. MacLeod and Mr Jackson then walked off, while Mr Edwards and Roberts gestured after them, and went to speak to security. MacLeod said he stepped into a shop because he “thought it would be safer” but Mr Edwards and his friend were telling them to “get outside now”. MacLeod added: “I was absolutely terrified and scared. Who would not be scared of the two men. They were definitely going for trouble.” Read more Lionesses history made in Nuneaton as blue plaque for incredible moment installed MacLeod told them he was sorry and Mr Jackson also urged them to calm down and leave the situation alone. MacLeod added: “I was just that scared and in fear that they were not taking no for an answer.” He recalled his hand being touched twice like he was about to be pulled out of the shop. MacLeod said he felt he was “going to get seriously hurt by these two big men and I just gave them a defensive, left one-punch shot”. MacLeod then stood with his arms apart and outstretched in the witness box as he told the jury that this was how he was standing when he told the men to “leave it” and then delivered the blow. A fight then broke out between MacLeod and Roberts who moved into the shop and knocked items over inside. MacLeod said: “It all happened fast because his friend punched me straight away but I was trying to defend myself. “I fractured my eye socket and I was on the floor. I was hazy, dazed and hurt.” Mr Jackson tried to separate them and at some point MacLeod punched him as he was crouched down. MacLeod told the court: “I should not have. I accept I was in the wrong.” He said he walked away from the shop without realising how badly Mr Edwards had been hurt. There was blood on the pavement when he was moved, jurors have heard. MacLeod said his memory is not clear as he walked away from the fight but he knows he took some more cocaine, and was “shocked” when the police arrested him and said Mr Edwards was seriously hurt. MacLeod had started the evening at about 4pm and felt “OK” after drinking eight pints at a pub near King’s Cross. He later moved to another pub in Elephant and Castle where he did not finish a vodka and coke and took cocaine at both venues. He also had two beers at Belushi’s, the court heard. MacLeod has previously admitted a charge of assault causing actual bodily harm against Roberts, for punching him while he checked on Mr Edwards, who was lying motionless on the ground. Roberts has denied a charge of affray in relation to the incident and is awaiting trial. MacLeod made a personal statement at the end of his evidence, saying “no matter what the outcome of this I want to apologise to the family and I am absolutely devastated”, at which point a bereaved relative, sitting in court, burst into tears. Blunt force trauma to the head was given as the cause of death at a post-mortem examination. Mr Edwards’ injuries included bruising to the right side of his chin, a laceration to the back of the head, a fracture to the back of the head and a severe traumatic brain injury. Pathologist Dr Simon Poole said: “The deep bruising to the lower part of the right-hand side of Mr Edwards’ face could have been caused by a punch. “The external injury to the scull, skull fracture and traumatic brain injury were consistent with contact against a hard flat surface such as a road or pavement following a backwards fall.” Tests showed Mr Edwards had cocaine and ketamine in his body and Dr Poole said: “It is possible that these drugs might have been relevant to the circumstances of the incident but they did not contribute to the cause of death.” MacLeod had travelled to stay with Mr Jackson, before they were to go to Selhurst Park for the Sunderland and Crystal Palace match on September 13, which ended in a 0-0 draw. The trial continues.