Blackpool man stamped on Garstang dad as he lay in the road, murder jury told

Matthew Pearson, 42, originally from Garstang, died at the Royal Preston Hospital on Sunday, August 2 following an assault on Lytham Road in Blackpool, close to the junction with Bournemouth Road at 6.45pm on Saturday, July 18 last year.

A post mortem examination found Mr Pearson, who lived in a flat on Lytham Road, died from blunt trauma head injuries.

Andrew Claydon, 44, also of Lytham Road, denies his murder but admits his manslaughter - a lesser offence in law - and is on trial before Preston Crown Court.

The victim's blood was recovered from his trainers.

He is then seen to stamp on his head as he lay in the road.

In one piece of footage a man tells Claydon: "Whatever you've done to him was caught on CCTV", to which he replied he "didn't care".

Prosecuting, Gordon Cole QC, prosecuting, said the blow had fractured his skull and left him bleeding heavily.

He added: "The prosecution say the facts of this case establish this was an offence of murder, manslaughter it is not."

"There were a number of people who witnessed what took place and you're going to see and hear from those witnesses.

"At the time of going towards Matthew Pearson the defendant was heard to say: '"Watch this, f*** him" and so we invite you to consider that it's an indication of that which was going through the mind of this defendant and the CCTV shows without any warning whatsoever the defendant punched Matthew Pearson to the face.

"Having punched him he then in effect slammed him down onto the floor, and then followed that up with what is described as, and we say is clear from the footage, a forceful and violent stamp to the head of Matthew Pearson.

"It may well be as he was slammed to the floor he was unconscious very quickly but the stamp is, we submit, an important feature of this case."

He said Mr Pearson was eventually able to get up and go back to his flat, though bleeding was seen from his ear.

He was later treated for bleeding on his brain and a basal skull fracture.

Those injuries caused him to lose his life, which prosecutors say was a direct result of the attack.

Claydon was originally arrested on suspicion of wounding but rearrested for murder.

Mr Cole said jurors would need to consider the question of his intent.

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