IPSWICH: A young Ipswich man died after he was punched in the head outside a pub in the town, it has been alleged.

Twenty-year-old father Simon Cowles fell to the ground following the alleged incident outside the Smock pub in Maidenhall Approach in Ipswich and died two days later in hospital, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Before the court is 44-year-old tyre fitter Paul Dell, of Discovery Avenue, Ipswich, who has denied manslaughter on April 17 last year.

Robert Sadd, prosecuting, said that on the evening of April 16 Mr Cowles had been drinking with friends in the Smock and Dell had also been drinking at the premises.

Shortly after midnight Dell had allegedly punched Mr Cowles to the head causing him to fall to the ground.

“Either by that punch or by contact with the pavement, or by a combination of both, he had an injury to his head which led to his death on April 19,”said Mr Sadd.

“We say that punch led directly to Mr Cowles’ death and we say it was done by this defendant and done unlawfully,” said Mr Sadd.

“What happened previously and in what order may never be known,” he added.

Mr Sadd said it might be suggested that Mr Cowles called Dell an “unpleasant name” prior to the attack.

He said that after allegedly being struck by Dell, Mr Cowles, of Star Lane, Ipswich, had initially got to his feet but had collapsed shortly afterwards. Dell had then been set upon by others and had received injuries himself.

Mr Sadd said that when Dell was interviewed by the police he said he had no recollection of punching Mr Cowles and said he could only remember being in the pub.

“We don’t allege he [Dell] intended to kill or even cause really serious harm to Mr Cowles. Our case is that he hit him – it wasn’t lawful, ie not in self defence, and directly some hours later led to the death of Mr Cowles.”

Hayden Smith, who had been in the pub with Mr Cowles on the evening in question, said his friend, who he had known from their schooldays, had been drunk.

He said they had spent most of the evening with other friends on a decking area outside the pub. During the evening Mr Smith heard a thump and had turned round to see a woman, who had apparently being pushed over by a man, on the ground.

Mr Smith said that three of his friends, but not Mr Cowles, had confronted the man round the corner and when they returned they said they had told the man he was out of order and had hit him once or twice.

Mr Smith said he had seen Dell in the pub during the evening and knew him as they were both members of a local club.

Mr Smith said that shortly after midnight he had been getting into a taxi outside the pub when he saw Dell hit Mr Cowles with his fist.

Mr Cowles had gone to the ground and he had then allegedly seen Dell hit Mr Cowles again but couldn’t say if he hit his body or his head.

Following the alleged attack Mr Cowles had got to his feet and had started talking but had then fallen back on to the ground.

He denied seeing Mr Cowles take a swing at Dell and that as Mr Cowles was “blind drunk” he had fallen over.

The trial continues today.