Murder licensee cleared

A licensee has been cleared of both the murder and manslaughter of a drunken customer he allegedly hurled from his pub "like a bag of rubbish".

Thomas Healy, 43, ex-licensee of the Sussex Arms in East Grinstead, West Sussex, was accused of killing hard-drinking Brian Heslip by throwing him onto the pavement outside when he became abusive.

Mr Heslip, described as a "lippy and cheeky" local who could down 15 pints in a session, was knocked unconscious when he hit the floor.

He was rushed to hospital after the incident at the pub but died six months later as a result of the head injuries he sustained.

Mr Healy was charged with murder, but prosecutors dropped the murder charge halfway through his trial at Lewes Crown Court earlier this month and the jury subsequently cleared him of manslaughter.

Mr Healy had earlier told the court how Mr Heslip came into his pub drunk one day in June last year.

When a cab called by Mr Healy refused to take Mr Heslip home, Mr Healy told the court he attempted to escort Mr Heslip out of the pub.

It was alleged that when Mr Heslip then became abusive Mr Healy grabbed him by the neck and "literally threw him out". One onlooker described what he thought was "a bag of rubbish" coming out of the door.

But Mr Healy, who was joint licensee of the pub with his wife from October 1999 to September 2000, said Mr Heslip had fallen accidentally while he was being helped out of the pub.

He said: "He appeared to trip and kind of pirouetted and fell at some speed off the steps and on to the floor, banging his head in the process."