Man killed brother in drunken fight at motocross

A man has admitted killing his brother with a single punch during a drunken fight.

Ben Starr, 34, of Woodside Avenue in Derbyshire, admitted the manslaughter of his brother Lee Starr during a hearing at Bristol Crown Court earlier.

The fatal fight, witnessed by the men's father, broke out when the brothers were at the Foxhill motocross event in Swindon in August last year.

Lee, who was in his 30s, suffered a fatal head injury and later died in hospital.

The court was told the men's father witnessed Lee punch Starr twice before both men ended up on the ground, with Starr restraining his brother.

The pair were separated and Lee directed a "kick and a punch" towards Starr, their father told police.

Sam Jones, defending, said Starr told police the kick and punch "connected with him" but witnesses at the scene said the blows "did not connect".

Starr was initially charged with grievous bodily harm with intent but was later charged with murder and manslaughter.

Mr Jones said Starr admitted manslaughter on the basis he threw a single punch after being separated from his brother, and after his brother's attempt to kick and punch him.

"Both the defendant and his brother were intoxicated at the relevant time," he added.

Medical experts were not able to determine the level of force Starr used when he punched his brother, the court heard.

Mr Jones said: "It is a tragic case, not least because those who have attended in support of the defendant today are those who have been so affected by the consequence of the alleged incident."

Robin Shellard, prosecuting, said the guilty plea to manslaughter was "acceptable" to the Crown Prosecution Service.

"We accept of course this was a fight between two brothers," he said.

"Lee certainly called his brother out, they wrestled on the floor and there were blows made by Lee towards Ben and vice versa.

"The two independent witnesses say that the fight had finished by that stage, so self-defence didn't arise.

"It was in the context of that - that it was a blow out of anger or indeed another reason, but certainly not self-defence."

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