Kilburn man jailed for killing carer in dog row

Labourer sentenced to four years for manslaughter

A labourer who killed a man after a row over a dog has been jailed for four years today (Wednesday).

Daniel Dunn, 23, of Kilburn Park Road, Kilburn, struck 50-year-old John Murphy hard across the face during the fight inside a south London flat.

The Old Bailey heard Mr Murphy, known as Stephen to his family, had also received a ‘pummelling’ from Dunn’s friend Pat Walsh in a 10-second flurry of punches after he had switched the lights off.

The court heard Mr Murphy had been at his girlfriend Tracy White’s flat in Waterloo, on October 22 last year, when Dunn and Mr Walsh arrived and they all had a drink together.

But at some stage an argument broke out between Mr Walsh and Mr Murphy about a dog.

Both Mr Walsh and Dunn appeared to get up to leave, but instead the living room lights were switched off.

Prosecutor Philip Bennetts QC said: “Tracy White estimated the lights were off for about 10 seconds and during that time all she could hear was “thump, thump, thump”.

Mr Murphy, who had been a carer for his disabled mother, died the next day from ‘extensive swelling and damage to the brain’ caused by blows to the head.

Dunn had been due to go on trial for murder at the Old Bailey, but instead pleaded guilty to manslaughter which was accepted by the prosecution.

Jailing him, Judge David Paget QC said: “Although you only struck one blow that blow followed other blows inflicted by Walsh.

“Your one blow was quite unnecessary…it must have been a contributory cause of death.”

Mr Walsh was not charged with any offence related to Mr Murphy’s death.