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Man choked victim in garden after pub fight - court

Essex Police The back of a white police van with one of the back doors open. There is a person dressed in a white protective full body suit next to the open van door with their back turned to the viewer. The van appears to have storage in it and there is a clear bag of evidence outside the van on the floor. Essex Police
The defendant followed Mr Langley home after a pub dispute, jurors were told

A 51-year-old man strangled another man in the victim's garden following a fight in a nearby pub, a court heard.

Richard Langley, 52, was pronounced dead at his home in Orchard Close in Thaxted, Essex, in the early hours of 18 March.

Prosecutors said the victim along with Kevin Horswill, and Mr Horswill's partner, were all involved in a dispute at The Star earlier that evening.

Mr Horswill, of Magdalen Green in the town, is standing trial at Chelmsford Crown Court accused of murder.

Prosecutor Andrew Jackson said the victim's death was "a determined and intentional killing".

'Overpowered'

CCTV footage captured the altercation at the pub, jurors were told.

Mr Jackson said the defendant repeatedly shouted at Mr Langley that he was "a dead man", before then following the victim home.

He said audio was recorded by a neighbour in the minutes before Mr Langley's death.

Jurors were played the audio, in which pained noises from two people could be heard, including one person saying "get off, get off me", before the recording ended in silence.

Mr Jackson said "the defendant allowed his anger to fester" and he "overpowered" the victim.

Mr Horswill will tell jurors that he acted in self-defence and that Mr Langley had a weapon, Mr Jackson said.

Jurors were told he "left him in the garden to die" and that the victim's wife found her husband deceased.

Essex Police A close-up side profile of a female police officer in a blue and black uniform. She is standing outside at the scene of Richard Langley's alleged murder.Essex Police
Judge Mary Loram KC urged people sitting in the public gallery in court to act with dignity [pictured: A police officer in Orchard Close, Thaxted]

Judge Mary Loram KC addressed family and friends of both the defendant and the deceased on the first day of the trial, who were sat in the public gallery.

"I cannot imagine what this will be like and there are those related to the defendant - I cannot imagine what it will be like for them," she said.

"I'm sure they will act with dignity."

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