Stringfellows bouncer cleared of stag murder

A Stringfellows bouncer accused of killing a stag night reveller with a single punch as he threw him out of the club for touching a lapdancer was cleared of murder today.

But Marcus Marriott, an amateur heavyweight boxer once ranked fourth in the UK, faces a retrial on an alternative count of manslaughter.

The court has heard how martial arts expert Marriott, 33, killed 21-stone George MacDonald with a single blow as he threw him out of the famous London club for touching a lapdancer called Anna.

Marriott's punch shattered Mr MacDonald's jaw and sent him tumbling to the pavement in the West End's Long Acre, fracturing his skull as he landed, the court heard. He died minutes later.

But a passing police van saw the attack in the early hours of October 8 last year - and it was also captured on CCTV, said Dorian Lovell-Pank QC, prosecuting.

Marriott, of St John's Road, Chingford, Essex, denied murder and an alternative count of manslaughter.

Giving evidence he told how he had been asked to see Mr MacDonald out of the club after he was seen touching Anna the lapdancer.

"I asked him to leave and he didn't want to leave", he said. "I asked him if he was going to go and he's saying 'why do I have to go'. I said 'look, you can go forcefully or of your own volition.' He was still protesting a little bit and swearing."

He was escorted to the fire exit and continued protesting outside, said Marriott.

"I wanted to know why he was being like that. I never had anything against the man. He put his hand up and I said 'why do you want to start with me?' I knew he was getting aggressive - it was how he moved and the look on his face.

"He put his hand up. He was being difficult and aggressive."

Marriott said that he turned to go back into the club and became aware of 21-stone Mr MacDonald coming behind him.

He told the jury: "He was coming quite fast. I thought he was going to hit me, to get me from behind. I saw him from the corner of my eye.

"I instinctively threw a punch - I just reacted. I threw the punch instinctively, I didn't think how hard or feel how hard it was. It was to protect myself."

He was cleared of murder after over nine hours of deliberation. But the jury could not reach a verdict on the alternative manslaughter charge and was discharged.

Mr Lovell-Pank said he anticipated the prosecution would seek a retrial on the manslaughter charge although no date was fixed