Murder and manslaughter charges against two

Murder and manslaughter charges against two bouncers
accused of killing a nightclub streaker were dropped at the
Old Bailey today Monday.

Lenny McLean, 42, was said to have punched Mr Gary
Humphreys, 31, in the jaw after colleague Robert Lopez, 33,
bundled the naked reveller into a side room at London’s
Hippodrome.

The prosecution claimed former boxer McLean broke Mr
Humprey’s jaw and he died as a result by choking on his own blood
over an hour later.

But today Mr David Calvert-Smith, prosecuting, offered no
further evidence on murder and manslaughter charges.

Counsel said the Crown could not be sure that the injury
was responsible for Mr Humprey’s death.

Directing the jury to return not guilty verdicts, Judge
Richard Lowry, QC, said: ‘The allegation against McLean rests on
the contention of the prosecution first of all that he fractured
his jaw with a blow to the point of his chin.

‘The prosecution would have had to prove that blow was a
subsequent cause of death.

‘
Judge Lowry said Mr Calvert-Smith had indicated the
prosecution could not justly prove that the blow had killed Mr
Humphreys and therefore no evidence was being offered against
McLean on a charge of murder.

‘If there is doubt as to whether the punch is a
subesquent cause fo death, it is obvious that the punch, with
which Lopez is said to have participated would not be the cause
of death in count two (manslaughter),’ the judge added.

Hyper-mania sufferer Mr Humpreys from Peel Green Road,
Eccles, Manchester, died in the street near the club after
stripping off again and running between parked cars.

McLean of Allen Road, Bow, East London, is still charged
with inflicting grievious bodily harm.

He and Lopez of Elstree Gardens, Lower Edmonton, North London,
further deny conspiracy to inflict grevious bodily harm.

The trial continues.

ENDS