Manslaughter verdict for man who assaulted girlfriend and killed her brother

Pearse Kavanagh punched Sarah McQueeney in the face and left her bleeding then turned on her frail sibling Philip McQueeney, who had tried to intervene, and caused fatal internal injuries.

Newcastle Crown Court heard Mr McQueeney, 40, who had existing health problems, died within hours of the attacks in South Shields, on July 19, 2022.

Kavanagh, of Coldwell Terrace, Gateshead, admitted assault on Miss McQueeney and told police: "Aye, I punched her all over".

The 46-year-old, formerly of Hebburn, denied manslaughter but has been found guilty by a jury after a trial at Newcastle Crown Court.

Jurors had failed to reach a verdict after an earlier trial in April.

Kavanagh has now been remanded in custody and will be sentenced in February.

Judge Paul Sloan KC warned him: "You should understand, the fact I am adjourning sentence and the fact I am directing the preparation of a pre-sentence report is not an indication of the sentence.

"As you will appreciate, a significant custodial sentence is inevitable."

Prosecutor Matthew Donkin previously told the court Miss McQueeney had been in a relationship with Kavanagh for "a few years" and the attacks happened at her home in Rowan Drive, South Shields.

Mr Donkin said: "Events that day began with an unprovoked, unlawful attack upon Sarah by the defendant and then he turned on her brother.

"Philip McQueeney was in no real condition to defend himself and the defendant assaulted him, including what may have been the fatal blow, kicking him to his abdomen."

Mr Donkin said all three people at the house that day had been drinking heavily and Miss McQueeney's recollection of exactly what happened was affected by alcohol.

The prosecutor added: "She will tell you she, her brother and the defendant were all sitting together when the defendant began to become aggressive.

"He punched her in the face and caused there to be blood everywhere, including on her clothes and shoes. CCTV will show you her wearing white shoes or footwear which ended up heavily bloodstained.

"She will tell you she recalls her brother trying to help her after the defendant punched her.

“Her brother said to the defendant to leave her alone.

"Philip McQueeney wasn't in good health. He didn't have the energy to get up and was on the floor when he said this.

"She will then tell you she was aware of the defendant kicking her brother before leaving through the front door."

The court heard police were called to the house and when officers arrived Miss McQueeney had blood on her face and clothing and Mr McQueeney was inside, on the floor, watching television.

Mr Donkin said Mr McQueeney was "intoxicated but responsive" and seemed to have a black eye.

The court heard Mr McQueeney started asking to go to bed but was told he needed to go to hospital.

Mr Donkin added: "He then became more quiet, stopped answering questions and was found to have become unresponsive. His decline was described by one officer as rapid.

"He continued to deteriorate and an emergency ambulance was called."

The court heard the police performed CPR until the paramedics arrived but Mr McQueeney went into repeated cardiac arrest and died at hospital.

A post mortem showed Mr McQueeney had suffered lacerations to his liver and the membrane over his small intestine and had blood in his abdomen, on top of his existing health problems.

Kavanagh denied kicking Mr McQueeney or inflicting blows to his abdomen and claimed he acted in self defence.

The court heard he told police Mr McQueeney had gone to attack him with a vodka bottle so he punched him and gave him a black eye and they then ended up in a scuffle on the floor.