Man guilty of manslaughter in dog-off-lead row

A man has been found guilty of manslaughter after a fight began about whether his dog should be on a lead.

The body of Charlie Greaves, 25, from Ipswich, was discovered at Suffolk Sands Holiday Park in Felixstowe on 11 August 2024.

Daniel Martin, 29, of Felix Road, Felixstowe, had denied the charge during his trial at Ipswich Crown Court.

The court heard Martin punched Mr Greaves, who suffered a head injury when he fell backwards.

Martin is due to be sentenced on 4 July.

During the trial, Barnaby Shaw, prosecuting, told the jury that Martin had been out drinking in the Felixstowe area with a group of friends.

He said they visited the Grosvenor pub, which Mr Greaves had arrived at separately shortly after, before the group went to Bar 21 close to the seafront.

As they left and headed to the promenade, Mr Greaves walked past with his dog.

Mr Shaw said some members of Martin's group told Mr Greaves to put his dog on a lead.

There was an argument and Martin punched the victim, causing him to fall back, hit his head and lose consciousness for a time.

He was treated by paramedics, but refused to go to hospital.

The next morning, police and paramedics were called to a property in Carr Road in the town where Mr Greaves was found dead.

Martin was originally charged with murder, but was instead prosecuted for manslaughter.

Det Insp Mark Hughes, who led the investigation, praised Mr Greaves' family who showed "immense bravery throughout the investigation".

"What started out as a disagreement between two strangers about a dog on a sunny evening on the seaside led to the death of a young man," he said.

"This is a stark reminder of the consequences of getting involved in physical violence.

"No matter your intentions, one punch could change the lives of so many people in an instant."

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