Man sentenced over death beating

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/7478185.stm

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A 23-year-old Latvian man has been jailed for four years for his part in a serious assault which led to the death of a Scottish man in Belfast.

Kaspers Valters, who was living on the Saintfield Road in the city admitted the manslaughter of James McDonald, 56.

Mr McDonald was found dead at a house in Penrose Street in south Belfast in September 2006.

A Crown lawyer said a manslaughter plea was accepted on the ground Valters did not intend to murder the deceased.

Acknowledging others may have been involved in the assault, the prosecutor said Valters "engaged in a serious assault upon the deceased resulting in the injuries sustained which led to his death".

It is believed the accused, the defendant and others had been drinking the day before and had gone back to Penrose Street where the fatal beating occurred.

It appeared the defendant and others remained in the house that night and left the next day. No effort was made to obtain any assistance for the deceased Crown lawyer

The Crown believez Mr McDonald was initially attacked at the front of the house where he fell and hit his head, causing bleeding to the brain which led to his death.

He was then dragged inside the house where he was subjected to a further beating.

Saying death would not have occurred immediately, a Crown lawyer said Mr McDonald's condition would have deteriorated over a number of hours.

He said: "It appeared the defendant and others remained in the house that night and left the next day. No effort was made to obtain any assistance for the deceased."

The barrister added that "by reason of him being left to die, there was an indifferent approach taken to the deceased after the assault."

A builder discovered Mr McDonald's lifeless body and after the emergency services were called, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

A post mortem concluded he had died from a head wound but also sustained extensive injuries to his head, face and body.