Man accused of manslaughter cannot remember punching victim

The man in his 40s from Norfolk, who cannot be named for legal reasons but who we are calling D, is accused of the manslaughter of 58-year-old Dale Jackson.

It follows a fight near the Suffield Arms pub at Thorpe Market in which Mr Jackson suffered a fractured skull and bleed on the brain.

Suffiled Arms pub (Image: Newsquest)Mr Jackson was airlifted to hospital following the incident on September 17 2021 but died a few days later.

D has gone on trial at Norwich Crown Court having denied manslaughter.

Norwich Crown Court (Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)Giving evidence on Thursday (December 7) D told defence barrister Stephen Spence he could not recall hitting Mr Jackson.

Mr Spence told D that, when interviewed by police, he said he did not punch Mr Jackson and asked him "did you recall punching him?"

D said: "No".

Mr Spence asked whether D remembered that "to this day" and he replied "I still can't".

When asked whether he was "deliberately lying" when he told police he did not punch Mr Jackson the defendant replied "no".

The jury of seven men and five women heard D had been trying to pull into a car park near the pub when his path was blocked by Mr Jackson's vehicle.

D said Mr Jackson, who he knew, was "just shouting" and "giving me a glare" before he "started doing hand gestures", including a "shooting" gesture with his hand.

Both men got out of their vehicles and D said Mr Jackson was shouting at him which he did back in response.

D then said he saw something and "just ducked because I thought I was going to get hit".

D said he "ducked down" but cannot remember having touched Mr Jackson.

Floral tributes to Dale Jackson (Image: Newsquest)He said he just saw Mr Jackson "fall backwards."

He said Mr Jackson caught the corner of his car as he went back before hitting his head on the floor.

D said at that moment "everything just drained out of me".

He said he had "my hands on my head and thought 'Oh God' before he walked back to his car.

D said: "I felt very bad".

Mr Spence asked if he had intended to hurt Mr Jackson.

D replied: "No".

The trial continues.