Christopher George guilty of Porthcawl car park manslaughter

A 27-year-old man has been convicted of manslaughter after killing a man with one punch in a car park.

Carl Chinnock 50, was found with a serious head injury in Salt Lake car park in Porthcawl, Bridgend county, just before midnight on 23 June.

Christopher George, of Heol-Y-Berllan, Pyle, pleaded not guilty to manslaughter at Cardiff Crown Court.

However, after a three-week trial, a jury found him guilty and he will be sentenced on 7 January.

The court heard how George punched the 50-year-old, who he did not know, after drinking with friends on 23 June.

At about 23:30, he was walking with his friends but left them to approach Mr Chinnock, who was heard shouting in the car park.

His friends described how they saw George punch Mr Chinnock full force to the face, causing him to fall backwards and hit his head.

George ran from the scene and caught a taxi home, leaving his friends to administer first aid until police and paramedics arrived, the court heard.

Mr Chinnock, who suffered a severe bleed to the brain, was taken to the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend where he died two days later.

The court heard George told the taxi driver taking him home to Pyle that he had given somebody "a slap".

Det Ch Insp Mark Lewis said officers learned from speaking to witnesses that George had been "fuelled by alcohol and drugs" and was "out looking for trouble that night".

"As this case proves, one punch can kill - anybody who believes that it is OK to exert such violence on another person is gambling with their victim's life, and of course their own.

"Christopher George's life changed in an instant that night, but his victim, Carl Chinnock, needlessly lost his life."