An angry drunk kicked a hepatitis sufferer to deat
An angry drunk kicked a hepatitis sufferer to death after he spat blood at his lover screaming ‘have that’, the Old Bailey heard.
Joseph Lawler, 35, originally from Belfast, never recovered consciousness after the frenzied attack and he died in hospital 30 hours later.
Today (Thurs) Simon Calvert, 29, originally from Brixham, Devon, admitted killing the dad-of-two in a park in Ealing, west London, in August last year.
He had launched the horrific attack after battering Mr Lawler over the head with a golf umbrella.
Prosecutor Mark Dennis explained that the park, Deans Woods Gardens, is popular with drunks and homeless people.
The pair, who both had drinks and drugs problems, had met there a fortnight before the assault.
Mr Dennis told the court: ‘Lawler was seen spitting towards Calvert’s girlfriend and saying he had hepatitis C.
‘Calvert told him to go away and then hit him on the head with a rolled up golf umbrella.
‘A witness said he saw Calvert push Lawler with both hands against his chest causing him to fall to the ground and bounce heavily.
‘He then began to kick and stamp on his head which was motionless.
‘The witness said: ”What’s going on, surely there’s no need for that”, added Mr Dennis.
Calvert then ran away and boarded a bus leaving his victim to die on the ground.
When he was arrested Calvert, who had drunk half a bottle of cider before the attack, told police: ‘When he spat at my girlfriend’s face I punched and kicked him a couple of times.
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He then asked detectives: ‘Wouldn’t you do the same?’
Mr Dennis added: ‘Even though Lawler was drunk and abusive and was behaving in an unruly fashion, Calvert could and should have walked away before it degenerated into violent behaviour.
‘He was worried about his girlfriend’s safety and wanted to stop Lawler from doing anything else and he lost his temper.
‘Calvert said: ”It could have been avoided but happened – there was no malice between us,” added the barrister.
Calvert, who lived with his girlfriend in Dunlin House in Gurnell Grove, West Ealing, denied murdering Mr Lawler on August 28 last year and the Crown accepted his guilty plea to the lesser offence of manslaughter.
The Common Serjeant of London, Judge Peter Beaumont remanded Calvert in custody for reports to be prepared and told him: ‘The fact you are not being sentenced this afternoon does not tie the court’s hands in sentencing in any way at all.
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Calvert will return to the Old Bailey for sentencing in three weeks time.
ends
